Second Chances?
by Mina Lisly
Summary: What happens when your past comes back to you in unexpected form? What happens when you get the chance to have what you always wanted, but at a terrible cost? {OOC/AH/AU} - CLACE - Family/Drama/Romance/Friendship
1. Chapter 1

**My dear little broccoli 💚💚💚**

** So, someone sent me a PM that may or may not have made my heart melt, and reminding me of my very first fan fiction that I never finished. So here it is for you. This is my first work and the most fanfiction-ny work you'll find from me. But that doesn't mean that you should snob that story nonetheless. **

**And do I need to say it … the rating is M for obvious reasons. There is going to be lemon, as well as hard topics. So if you feel you'll be triggered, don't read this story. **

**Love, Mina**

**.**

**Chapter 1**** (1,9K)**

**Clary's PoV**

"Holy crap!" I muse, looking up at the Institute.

A shiver creeps down on me, taking me by surprise. Since the Institute used to be one of the first cathedrals of New York, I expected the building to look ancient, crappy and on the brink of collapsing. instead, I have a majestic beauty in front of me, standing tall and proud and showcasing its passage through time. And I have to admit that right now, all I want to do is to actually draw it. Draw every corner, every shadow, every statue. Sure, you could see that the building had been restored to fit our modern age, but it didn't take away from its beauty.

"Man … You're really going to go there?" Simon asks, his eyes glued to the building as well.

"Do I even have a choice?"

"_I _wouldn't! Not even for a million bucks! It looks like it's going to swallow your soul! Creeeepy!"

I stare at my best-friend, internally questioning his sanity. How can he not see the beauty standing in front of us? I know that Simon can be quite anti-anti-conformist at times, but beauty is beauty.

I shake my head, trying not to make a joke about his poor eyesight, and his need for a new pair of glasses, and sigh, "Let's go. We have a club waiting for us."

"You Mom —" Simon starts, making me heave and glare at him,

"Is not here and does not need to know. This is actually my last night of freedom, and I'd like to spend it with you doing something …"

"Wild?" He asks, almost anticipating the answer.

I grin at him and start walking away, internally smiling at the irony of the situation. I am the one who has to make Simon do wild things now …

We leave the nice neighbourhood of the Institute, the part of New York where Simon and I never went before and I can't help but think of that whole ridiculous situation I am in, where I have to change school when the year barely began and learn things about my life that I never would have dared imagine.

Two days ago, Mom told me that she was transferring me into a new school I had never heard of before (it being in those posh neighbourhoods I never go to). This lead to a terrible fight between the two of us. Not much the transfer part, but the part where she told me (after years of lying) that the father I had thought all my life was dead wasn't so dead, after all. She keeps telling me over and over again that he is bad news, but who am I to judge someone I don't know and who doesn't even know I exist. Especially when the only thing my mom would tell me about him is that he is bad news.

So in a way, I'm seeing this Institute thing as a new beginning. Because there are other things about my past that I'd like to forget as well. Things more recent than an absentee father, and who bruised me in a much more permanent way.

"_Clary_! Zoning out again?" Simon sing-songs, waving vigorously his hand in front of my face.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"I was asking about your getting-wild thing. I mean, you're usually more of a miss Invisible …"

"Let's just say that I want to be bad one last time before being locked in that school."

Simon doubtfully looks at me, and we both know that I just said half of the truth. I stopped trying wild things for a while now, given where that lead me the last time. But we never really speak of that time…

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

When we get to the club, there is surprisingly no line. I mean, I know it's Sunday night, but Pandemonium is a well renown club, and therefore always busy. technically, we wouldn't be able to get in, but … the past year gave me resources that I am not ashamed of using.

For an hour or so, Simon and I just dance to the beat, having completely forgotten about any of our problems, when my eyes catch a little bit of blue hair. Don't get me wrong, in a club, it is rather expected to have unusual hair colours, but this blue is attached to a guy's head and styled all the way in spikes. For a moment, I do stare at him, feeling as if I already saw him somewhere and trying to picture him with maybe a different hairdo, when he starts walking toward a girl on the other side of the room.

Well, girl … more like Goddess. You know, tall, long ravenous hair that didn't disobey all the time, curves in all the right places. She's in a simple strapless white dress, showing as much skin as it can, without being vulgar. Though to be honest, she doesn't seem that old. I'm sure she's around my age. Some girls are just blessed by Nature when I just end up being stupid unattractive me. Talk about fair.

She smiled to the guy and made a nod toward the storage room before going in there, quickly followed by the blue haired man. I'm about to go fetch myself a drink when I notice two other boys going into that storage room as well. A blond and a dark haired one. And though I know it's none of my business, I head that way as well. I mean three guys and one lonely girl. There are so many ways this can go wrong.

As soon as I open the door, I hear voices indicating a heated argument, the girl whining, "He's never going to give you the information Jace. Just get rid of him, so I can go and enjoy a bit of the club."

"Izzy, I'm barely starting to have fun. I'll make him sing," The blond one promised as I take in the scene before my eyes.

The blue-haired stranger is on his knees, held by the guy with dark hair, who looks just like the girl if it isn't for his eyes who are blue like the Hawaiian ocean. The blond guy is … golden, if that's even possible. I mean, even his eyes look like made of gold. Besides cats and elves, who has golden eyes?

The blond guy raises his fist, ready to strike down the defenceless blue-haired stranger, and before I can stop myself, I hear myself shouting, "_No_!"

In the blink of an eye, I rush to the golden guy and throw myself between him and his victim, ready to stop him the best I can. The four of them stare at me in surprise, before the dark haired guy asks, perplex,

"What is that?"

"_What_? Really Alec? Can't you see that this is a girl? I mean, you do have a sister, you should know what girls look like. The proper question is, _who_ are you?" He looks deep in my eyes as he asks the final question and I turn my back to him, and look at the other guy, Alec,

"Let him go."

"_What_?"

"You heard me. You can't just go around and beat people for the fun of it!" And that's when I realise that the victim in question hasn't said a word since the beginning of that interaction, "And _you_! Man up and stand up for yourself! Don't be such a wuss and fight for yourself."

"Little girl, I don't think you get what is happening here. So if you could just … move along," The blond guy, Jace, said, signalling me the door from which I came.

I gasp at his rudeness but do not budge from where I am, glaring at him with all my might. But before anyone else could try and say anything, the door opened, and a bouncer appeared, shaking his head as he says with a blasé tone,

"This is a room for staff, so move along and get a room for your kind stuff."

The five of us run off the storage room, the blue-haired guy the fastest out of us, disappearing in the crowd, and making the other girl whine, "How are we going to trace all this mess back to Seelie, now?"

"Don't worry about it," Jace said, walking away from me with his two acolytes.

I look at the trio until I can't see them anymore, and then look for Simon so we can go home. Let's not have my Mom yell at me the night before me going to the Institute.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

When I open the front door of our apartment, I hear two voices inside. Which makes me frown and check my phone. 1:32 am. I am in so much trouble! Tomorrow is a school day. I try creeping silently into my room, but Mom must have super hearing, because the next thing I know, she is calling me,

"Clary?"

"Yes?"

Mom appears on the door frame of the corridor, looking calm and collected, which is never a good sign.

"Anything you'd like to say?"

"Who's here?" I ask, delaying her fury to the maximum.

"Luke. He came to wish you good luck for tomorrow. But guess what, you weren't here, nor picking your phone."

_I am a dead girl_!

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to check the Institute at least once before going there. And then, we went out with Simon."

And there they are. The magic words. Weirdly enough, Simon can do no wrong in Mom's eyes. If only she knew that out of the two of us, I am the good kid …

She makes a face as if she's about to say something, and I let her know, "I left him when he started flirting with some girl. I mean, I couldn't decently be the third wheel."

She looks at me, making me feel like I'm missing something crucial, before she simply shakes her head and tells me, "You should get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day for you."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

_Beep! Beep! Beep_!

I curse my alarm clock blasting in my hear, all the whilst begging it to give me five more minutes. And me being me, I snooze again and again, until it is half-past seven, making me late on my very first day of school. I have been snoozing for almost an hour.

In less time that it takes to say it, I am in the shower, and then in my clothes before hopping on my Harley. Mom already dropped all my clothes and stuff I will need for the week on Friday. And when I park in front of the Institute, it is 7:59 am. I may have forgotten about speed limits, but I still made it to school in time.

So I take my helmet off and walk into the Hell Hole that we call high school, "Here we go."

.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**

**.**

** So, what did you think? Just so you know, this story is mostly Jace and Clary focussed, with both their point-of-view in the centre of attention each time. Also, for those who remember this story back from the dark ages of my FF experience, don't spoil it for those who never read it. **

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**


	2. Chapter 2

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, here comes chapter two. Enjoy, simple as that.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚

**.**

**Chapter 2**** (1,7K)**

**Jace's PoV**

Monday morning, and I am so hungover! I should have gone straight home yesterday night, instead of hanging around at the club. Especially when school starts in less than thirty minutes! _Shit_! How am I supposed to get my gorgeous self ready in less than half an hour?

I hear a slight knock on my door, and Maryse's head pops in, showing worry when she sees that I'm still in my nightwear. It's true that I'm always the first one awake, and this doesn't really look like me. But I can't help but roll my eyes. Mothers always worry about the slightest thing. Me getting up late doesn't mean that I'm about to die, unlike what her face makes it believe so.

"Jace? are you alright, sweetie?"

"I'll be ready in ten," I assure her, repressing a grimace when she calls me sweetie. Don't get me wrong, I love Maryse, but … if we could avoid the cute names, that would be great.

"I need you to be in my office before eight. So hurry up. And don't forget to eat something."

As soon as she closes the door, I hop in the shower, trying to remember why I drank so much in the first place. Oh, right. I finally had that miserable scumbag in my grasp, ready to teach him some manners, and that little redhead allowed him to escape, putting her nose where it didn't belong, all the while claiming to be some saint or something. sure, she didn't know what he did, but that didn't mean she could put her nose wherever she wanted, and especially not in our affairs.

Her being beautiful didn't excuse her from what she did it. _Wow_! Beautiful? She wasn't really. Pretty maybe, average, probably, annoying, certainly! sure, she must have a good heart for trying to save total strangers, even screwups like … whatever his name was, but that was an actual flaw in this world. Too nice people tend to be crushed in this world we live in.

With a shake of my head, I dismiss the redhead and her heart that will get her killed and head toward Maryse's office as soon as I'm dressed. On my way, I bump into Alec and Izzy, who seem to be in the same mood as I am. to be fair, we did all hang out at the club last night, and only Izzy manages to look as flawless as she usually does. That girl …

Once in Maryse's office, she lets us know about a new student that is going to live with us, which grabs my attention. Though the Institute is some sort of hyped school, it is not a boarding school. Which means that, though she didn't say it, Maryse knew that new student personally, or at least the parents.

"I was thinking that maybe you guys could greet Clarissa and give her a tour of the Institute before class, so she doesn't feel too lost on her first day here," She says, her eyes weirdly on me, instead of Izzy.

I mean, wouldn't it be more logical for the girl amongst us to bond with the other girl about to live with us? But then, I get it. She's a stranger, coming into a group, just like I was a few years ago, and Maryse probably hopes that this could make me nice to her.

I repress a heave, because frankly, I couldn't be bothered, and look down at the file on Maryse's desk, where I see a picture of …

"Hey! Isn't it the girl from last night?" Izzy exclaimed, making her Mom suspiciously look at us. But before Maryse could accuse us of anything, Alec elbowed and sister and I declared,

"I'll do it."

Maryse happily smiles at me, whilst my adopted siblings look at me with big rounded eyes. In their defence, I've never known to be a Samaritan. I simply shrug at them, because in all honesty, I am just curious about the girl, and this seems a good time as any to know more about her, first hand.

my first move afterwards, is to head to the parking lot, where it is most likely that I will find her. I mean, assuming that she drives and doesn't take the subway to come here. And there I find her, next to a shiny Harley, her red hair braided but bright in the sun. She's on the phone, talking to God knows who, and I simply make my way to her, waiting for her to finish.

"Come on, Si. Why should I be bothered that a girl is into you? Don't be ridiculous and just ask her out, already!"

The other person responds to what she just said, making her roll her eyes before they fall on me. For a moment she narrows her green orbs, obviously remembering me from the yesterday night, and she lets her friend know,

"I gotta go, Si. Some people don't know the meaning of the words, 'personal space'. I'll talk to you later."

And after saying so, she hangs up and looks at me from head to toe. Which I won't lie, I'm used to. Girls always check me out, I can't help it. What I was not expecting is for her to simply shake her head and turn her heels on me to walk away. _What kind of girls does that to _**_me_**? I mean, _look at me_!

I quickly catch up with her, and start a conversation with her, "So, little girl, you're the new girl, uh?" Good job, Captain Obvious. Why else would she be here?

She tries to ignore me, but when it becomes obvious to her that she won't get rid of me so easily, she stops and asks, "What do you want?"

"Well, hello rudeness! Has no one ever told you anything about politeness?"

A smirk appears on her face whilst she obviously keeps for herself what she wants to say, and I smile angelically at her to make a statement. still, I take her in better than I did yesterday. The first thing that I see that I didn't notice at the club is how free her eyes are. They are emerald green, and not tree leaves green. She also has very pale skin, much like Izzy's, but unlike Izzy, she has freckles all over her face and shoulders. Her hair seems even redder now that I see it not under the dim lighting of a club, and she seems shorter than I remember. She's actually so short that I look straight ahead, I could barely see the top of her head.

"See, when someone wants to complain about people being rude to them, they shouldn't be rude, to begin with. For instance, they should call people by their given names, instead of calling them a little girl."

"Well, you never gave me your name, to begin with," I point out, keeping for myself that I am very well aware of her name.

"Like I'm going to give my name to some creep I don't even know!"

"That hurts," I exclaimed, feigning hurt and placing my hand over my heart. She glares at me, before resuming her path to the main doors of the Institute. Once again, I catch up with her in the blink of an eye.

"I'm Jace Wayland, by the way. Son of the directors of that school and your humble servitor to show you around and guide you into this Hell hole we all call high school."

This makes her glance at me, curiosity on her face. "I thought the director's last name was Lightwood."

"Technicalities. So do you have your schedule yet? What's your first class?"

"I'm not going to get rid of you, am I?"

I shake my head because even though I am intrigued by the girl, this is also a mission Maryse just gave me. She seems to deliberate for a moment, evaluating the pros and the cons, before she surprises me by asking, "I'll let you do your thing, and I won't complain about it if you tell me what happened last night with that guy?"

At that, I can't help but recoil. It's not because I'm curious about her, that _I_ am going to share all my dirty secrets with her, "None of your business. Don't you worry your pretty little redhead about it."

"Well, in that case, don't you worry your pretty little blond head about me. I'll manage to find my way around."

And just like that, she walks away from me. For a moment, I consider chasing after once again, but I think better of it and simply sneak into Maryse's office to find Clarissa's file. I look for her schedule and learn a bit more about her at the same time. If Izzy knew what I was doing, she'd beat me to the pulp and call me a stalker. But hey, she's not here.

Apparently, Clarissa 'Clary' Fray is sixteen and lives alone with her mother, downtown. To be fair, I was expecting her to be the daughter of some famous or rich guy. That whole school is filled with them. But no. she's pretty common. She doesn't even have a Dad. Her school file screams goody-too-shoes. She's got A+ in every single class, even the ones you wouldn't suspect such as mechanics or arts.

And her first class with us is Literature, just like me, making me late for a class where tardiness means a twenty minutes lecture about how my generation knows nothing and is the doom of civilisation. I bolt out of Maryse's office and speed straight to the classroom which, fortunately, isn't far from where I was.

I get there just before the bell rings, and after trying (and failing) to locate my redhead, I sit at my usual table. Wait for a second, did I just say _my_ redhead? I definitely need more sleep. I shake my head, already bored by the class to come, when someone sits next to me, which makes me glare at the person. I mean, they should know better than that, I've been in this school for almost seven years for Fuck's Sake.

But I close my eyes when I see who's my new neighbour. Clary.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

**.**

💚** So, what did you think? I know, two chapters so close together? What's happening to me? Well, I am getting back my life, and my passion to write, so get used to more updates, though I will try to sparse the stories, so we have more revivals, haha.**

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	3. Chapter 3

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, here comes a new chapter. Enjoy, simple as that.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚

**.**

**Chapter 3**** (2,7K)**

**Clary's PoV**

Okay, so, is it me, or life just got from sucky, to suckier? I mean, sure, it is great to have a handsome guy being interested in you and all, but I know better. And anyway, _this_ particular handsome guy is just so … so _annoying_. And rude! And let's not forget that he is arrogant too. Oh, and did I mention the annoying part?

And now, here I am, stuck next to him, having to bear his insufferable self for the next hour of class. As I sit, trying to keep my head high with dignity, he turns his head to me and smirks. _god_, I hate smirking people. They always put on masks and turn out to be deceiving and disappointing people. And now I am stuck for the rest of the year next to him. I just love my life (not the sarcastic tone).

With a little sigh to repress my frustration, I take my notepad out of my bag and start paying attention to the lesson. Let's be honest, when it comes to school, I am a goody-two-shoes. sure, I have some classes I like better than others, but I always pay attention and study.

Though, I am rather concerned about Mr Aldertee's choice of books here. I mean, _Les Liaisons Dangereuses _is hardly what I would name appropriate for a bunch of teenagers. I read it a few months back, and it's all about sexual deviances and stirring ones from the right path of good. Sure I read it, but I would have thought a teacher would have been reluctant to give it as a book to study in class.

"Afraid of a book, little girl?" Jace whispers to me, probably because I look shocked, and I turn my head to look at the annoyance that is Jace Wayland, doing my best not to drool. I mean, him being annoying doesn't cancel the fact that he is gorgeous. It should actually be forbidden to be this handsome, it probably is in some countries.

"What do you mean?"

"You should see your face. It was priceless," He says with a chuckle and I do my best not to glare at him. Instead, I look back at the board, not without mentioning that he was the one looking at me,

"Well, it looks like I have my own private stalker."

"You have no idea, Clary."

I decide to ignore him and take notes of what Mr Aldertee, though I am startled that he knows my name. How in the hell did he know my name? Well, if I look at it from a logical point-of-view, he did say he was the directors' son, so it can make sense that he knew of me coming. But still …

I can feel that _Jace_ is still staring at me, which is getting annoying to this point. I mean, does he think that because he is gorgeous he is allowed to be creepy? This is beyond stalking, this is just scary.

"_What_?" I snap at him.

"Nothing. It's just that normal people don't —"

"_Normal_? Do you want to talk to me about _normal_? You beat a guy for no apparent reasons, you snuck up on me this morning, you listened to a private conversation I was having on the phone, you followed me around and you keep calling me 'little girl', even though you obviously know my name. You are not allowed to talk about normal when your own behaviour is _anything_ but normal!" I hiss at him, keeping my voice as low as I can. And if I had hoped to startle him, I miserably failed at that, because he simply smirks and retort,

"How can you think I am even normal with the good looks that I have?"

I repress a sigh, and report my attention to the lesson, catching up on their final intake of the last book they read, _Romeo And Juliet_. Yeah, that teacher has something for analysing sexual innuendos, that's for sure. This is going to be a long, _long_ year.

Half an hour before the end of the class, Mr Aldertee lets us know with a radiant smile that we have to write something that sums up how we fill about the whole play. Essay, prose, song. Whatever we want. And then, as if the Devil is whispering in his ear, he says with a benevolent smile,

"Since this will count as part of your grade, and you don't have that much time, I will let you team up with the person next to you."

Jace turns to me, a devilish grin on his face as he asks, "Do you want to do your take on Romeo? Since you're such a badass?"

"I'm _not_ a badass."

"I beg to differ. You intervene in fights, you ride a bike, you managed to shut me up on several occasions, and it's not even your first hour in this school. I'd say you're a badass."

"Clarissa, if you don't feel up for it, you can pass on this one. I don't know if you've ever worked on the book before," Mr Aldertee tells, making look up before I vigorously shake my head.

"Oh don't worry. I've already read the book. I was thinking we could do a song that would take place just before Romeo drinks the poison."

Mr Aldertee nods inapprovall and walks away, being a vulture amongst his student. Is it bad that he reminds me of Snape?

"So, _we _are planning on writing a song? Do _we_ have a melody or something in mind?" Jace asks with sarcasm sipping through his voice.

I roll my eyes at him, pointing out the obvious, "Who do you take me for? Mozart? Do you know of the song _Broken _by Seether?" I wait for him to nod, and explain, "Well, we will use that melody and just change the lyrics."

It's not that I'm trying to save his ass, it's just that I don't want to be classified as a bad student or a troublemaker. Especially not because of him. So I take my pen and play with him around with some words in order to write down the lyrics.

(**Jace is bold**, _Clary is italic_.

The tune is head is _Broken_ by Seether)

**I take from thou, my love**

**Thy last and coldest kiss**

**I take for thou, my love**

**My last drink**

**And …**

**Those are my last true words**

**My last looks and touch**

**Because thou's lying here**

**Leaving me alone, in pain**

**'Cause I'm broken**

**'Cause I'm frozen**

**'Cause I'm open**

**Like thou are in here**

**Thou aren't breaking**

**But I'll join thou**

**Soon enough**

_Hold on to me my love_

_Just for a love kiss time _

_Hold on to me my love _

_Don't leave me here, alone _

_…_

_Thou promised me thy life_

_So let me give mine too_

_With thy sweet dagger_

_We'll never be apart_

_'Cause I'm broken_

_'Cause I'm frozen_

_'Cause I'm open_

_Like thou are in here_

_'Cause I'm broken_

_'Cause I'm frozen_

_'Cause I'm open_

_Like thou aren't breathing_

Jace looks at the finished lyrics with satisfaction, and declares, "Well, I think we did a pretty good job."

And even though I agree, I can't help but roll my eyes. apparently, Mr Cocky does not know a thing about the benefits of being modest and humble. I watch him write down the lyrics on his notebook before he looks at me warily. Geez, what does he think? That I'll go French Revolution on him because he wrote down our work in his pad?

"Do you have music class?" He asks with apprehension, and I shake my head, writing for him to keep going.

"You should. As extra credits, I mean. And we could totally sing the song."

Though he said it as a statement, it sounded more as a question, and I look down at the lyrics. Extra credits always sound nice, but at the same time …

"I don't know. I'll have to think about it. I wanted to go to the auto shop after school since I heard there is one here, and I won't be able to do so if I have to stick around for an extra class."

He gawks at, making me frown. "What?"

"Are you _even_ a girl?"

"Excuse me?" I ask, an octave higher than I intended. I mean, I know I'm no Barbie doll, but come on, I still think it is obvious that I am a girl.

"Most girls usually avoid auto shops. Or bikes for that matter. Too much mess and oil." Okay, that hurts. Is he saying that I'm acting like a dude? well, he's not having the last word on that one.

"Well, let me guess. Most girls also drool all over you and venerate the dirt you walked on?"

He stares at me in shock, clearly not expecting me to retort that at all. But before he can figure out a witty comment to fire back, Mr Aldertee (let's call him Mr Vulture from now on) comes to our table and reads the lyrics we wrote. He takes a while to do so, more than I thought he would need to read simple lyrics like that, and then marks it as A+, telling us that it was great to work.

I try not to beam and dash out of the class as soon as the bell rings.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

The rest of the day passes by so slowly that I feel like I'm in a movie and someone pressed the frame by frame button. Which is quite annoying. Especially when I had to suffer two other classes with _him_! I don't even know how I managed to stay even remotely sane so far.

Having him around is like having my emotions on a swing. I don't know if I should hate him, or like him. As much as he can be very annoying, he did manage to be quite sweet a couple of times (_quite_, I emphasise on that word!). But I do my best to not dwell on him, and simply forget about him whilst on my way to my last class of the day, Arts. _Finally_! This is probably my favourite.

Finally, I get to walk into my haven, feeling like this hour could not have come soon enough. I've always liked to draw, or paint, or anything that has to do with creating something out of your fingers. I could do it for hours and hours and hours, never bothering about anything else (not even food). It's like a drug to me. All day long, I have been itching to really draw.

As soon as I get in the class, Madam Dorothea looks at me as if I am her Christmas gifts and gushes,

"Miss Fray? I've seen your drawings that came along with your application. I'm afraid there isn't much left for me to teach you, but this isn't what this class is about. We are more on letting the imagination run wild here. And I heard you have a lot of creativity under your sleeve."

I look at her, startled. How can she know if I have creativity or not if she's never seen my work before? She patronisingly smiles down at me, and explains,

"Mr Aldertee might have gushed about you in the teacher's room."

"Oh …Er … I wasn't alone. Jace Wayland helped me on that," I say, uncomfortable to be the talk of some teachers conversation. I like being invisible as Simon pointed it out yesterday night.

But of course, the teacher cannot take the hint and keeps on smiling, telling me, "Then maybe you should take Music as extra credits and work with him on what you started in Literature. I'm sure it would turn out to be splendid."

I smile, mostly to not be rude and hide my discomfort, and then dash toward the furthermost empty table I can find. I don't know what drugs she is on, but there is no way Jace and I can Mae something 'splendid'.

After taking my sketchpad out of my bag, I glance back at the teacher, and what's wrong with this school? She looks just like Professor Trelawney, well, a version from the Caribbean. Why is this school so Harry Potter-ish? The Hogward-like building, the professors? What's next? Me meeting a basilisk on my way to the bathroom?

With a small smile for myself, I shake my head and focus on my latest drawing. well, it's not really, but it's the one I've been stuck on for a while. I've been more focused on landscapes and animals as of lately. Ever since … _him_. He is actually the main star of this drawing, but I never managed to do his face. I know that it's unhealthy for me to keep on focussing on him like that and that I should move on, but I can't.

Something about our last 'encounter' keeps haunting me, but I can't put my finger on it. I am trying, really hard, because I am sure that if I do, I will finally find inner peace, but the thing still eludes me.

With a sigh, I tear my eyes away from my sort of blank page, and look around, only to see a sculpture next to me that makes me fondly smile. It is … _magnificent_. All the details of a body are there, but with fineness and delicacy. All the muscles, the veins … it almost makes me think that the sculpture is alive.

Whoever made it has marvellous hands. And so I look away from the sculpture to the creator, only to recognise the black haired guy from yesterday night! I must be cursed! There is no other explanation.

Alec, if I recall properly, must have sensed my staring at him and his sculpture because his eyes are suddenly on me. I politely smile, about to compliment his work when he deliberately looks away, as if to tell me not to talk to him. And before I can try to make sense out of anything, the bell rings.

I take my stuff out, dreaming of the auto shop, when the Devil himself gets in, "So, little girl, ready for your first music class in the Institute?"

"Go away, Devil," I mutter between my grinder teeth. Can't I have just a simple hour of peace?

"And isn't Lucifer a fallen angel?" He asks, smirking and obviously so proud of his reference. I roll my eyes, though I have to agree that the description matches him to the T.

He turns to Alec, and asks under a fake innocence, "Do you think that I'm a fallen angel?"

"I don't really care, Jace. Let the girl be. If she doesn't want to go to your class, it's probably because she sings like Eureka."

"From The Little Mermaid?" I muse.

"Well, yeah? Do you know other terrible singers named Eureka?"

And on those words, he leaves the room, though I can't help but keep on looking at him. I don't know, I get this vibe from him that he's … well, it's none of my business anyway.

I quickly followed him out, eager to go to the auto shop to take care of my baby, when someone grabbed my arm. Well … I know who it is, there is no point in me pretending I don't.

"You know, if you don't come to the class, I am going to think that Alec is right about your singing abilities."

"And why should I care about what you think?"

"Okay, let me put it another way," He says, taking some keys out of his pocket. "You come to music class with me, and I give this to you. Unlimited access to the auto-shop. Whenever you want, however long you want."

Shit! How am I supposed to say no to that? _Unlimited access to the auto shop_. sure, accepting this offer mean spending more time with him, and selling my soul to the Devil he is, but … I would get to pamper my baby however I'd like.

And so, I nod and follow him to the Music class, selling my soul just for some keys to an auto shop.

.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

**.**

💚** So, what did you think? I know, you are waiting for other updates, and they will come. ii am working on Mistakes at the moment ... interesting?**

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	4. Chapter 4

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, here comes another chapter. I would just like for you to remember that no matter how fast this relationship seems to evolve, it is part of the plot. If you've read any other of my works, you know I like the develop how they fall in love and that I show it. So if it feels fast and forced, it is because it is part of the plot. For those who read it before, you know why, for the others, bare with me and keep on reading. **😉

** Enjoy, simple as that.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚

**.**

**Chapter 4**** (3,3K)**

**Jace's PoV**

I don't know how I did it, but I convinced Clary to go to Music class with me. Well, it's probably my good looks. Or the fact that this girl is the weirdest person there is. I mean what kind of girl literally _moans_ at the mention of access to an auto shop? Izzy would never have done so!

Maybe that's why I'm desperately trying to hang out with her … Did I just say '_desperately_'? This is getting out of hand, I really need to demystify her so I can go back to my normal self. _I_ don't go after girls, _girls_ crawl after me, and probably, the only reason why I am interested in this particular girl is that she isn't of the crawling type. Though if I have to be completely honest with myself, I know this isn't it. There is this … pull that I just can't shake off.

All day long, she's been ignoring me, even though we had three classes together so far. She just ignored me and went on her merry life. And if I'm being honest, I would have rather her avoiding me. Because if she did, she would have acknowledged me, and it would prove that I had managed to make her feel something.

At lunchtime, I shared a table with Izzy and Alec, as usual, but they bombarded me with questions concerning Clary and my behaviour. To be fair, would it have been anyone else, I would have told Maryse to not bother me. But as I said, there is … pull calling me to her. So I told them what I knew, officially, which was very little. She was a studious girl who liked auto shops, which made Izzy recoil and Alec laugh at his sister. She had been hoping for a shopping buddy with whom she would be able to gossip, but I had the feeling that Clary wasn't one of those girls.

And now we are just before Music class, and I'm on my way to pick her up in Arts because I don't want her to bail on me. And yes, I guess I do have stalking vibes since I already know her schedule by heart. Alec makes one of his sarcastic comments about Clary singing like a seagull, before giving me a weird look and heading back to our quarters. He doesn't do music.

As we walk to the Music room, with the deal freshly made, all Clary can talk about is that damn auto shop. How can a girl talk so much about a shop that does not involve clothing? Izzy is definitely in for a letdown.

"Isn't it weird though? How can a school have an auto shop like that? Not that I'm complaining, I haven't been in one in a couple of months, and to have unlimited access is a dream come true. I heard the shop is _huge_. And that there were some pieces of junk in case you need to restore or boost your engine. And …"

She suddenly stops talking and walking, looking at me with suspicion. I'm tempted to make a witty remark about her staring at me, but she'll probably blow me off again, so instead, I tell her,

"You know, if you keep stopping like that, we will be late, and Ms Herondale is going to give us detention, which means, no auto shop."

"How come you have the keys of the auto shop?"

"I told you earlier, I'm the son of the directors."

She shakes her head, and clarify, "It's not what I meant. You don't seem like the kind of guy to naturally hang out in auto shops."

"Says the little girl who literally _moans_ at the mention of an auto shop."

She blushes a deep crimson red before resuming her walk to the Music class. And all I can think about is how cute she is when she blushes. But man! I'd rather have her blush and moan because of me, not because of an auto shop. I clearly am out of my game.

When we finally get to the classroom, I grab her hand and take her to my usual spot, just so she can't try and escape me. I can tell she wants to protest, but as soon as we're sitting, she stops herself. From the corner of my eye, I can see Aline and some other girls vividly gossiping amongst themselves about this grand entrance I just made. It is true that I have never shown any sort of interest to any girl in the school. It is actually my most sacred golden rule, never hook up with a girl I can see on a regular basis, and therefore I'll stay away from complications.

Mrs Herondale enters the classroom, imposing a dead silence as she does so. She is one of those teachers that is scary just by being there. She never had to raise her voice or even threaten a student to keep her class running. She just had to be. Scary old bat. But at the same time, she's my favourite teacher. She's really passionate about her craft, and she can show compassion to her students as well. As long as they are not on her blacklist.

As soon as she's behind her desk, her eyes dart straight to Clary (not that she can go unnoticed with that hair of hers) and after briefly and subtly assessing the girl, she starts the class. For ten minutes, we do our usual warmups before she starts calling people to the board so we would sing or play what we prepared for the class.

When she calls me, I signal Clary to come along with me, and I take the guitar by the board as I feel Clary's eyes on me, clearly surprised to see me with an instrument in my hands. And I won't lie, I like that she's impressed by me.

Then, I start singing the lyrics we worked on just this morning, and it's my turn to be dumbfounded. I mean, I knew the lyrics by heart, and I didn't expect any less form Clary since she's the one who came up with the idea and the majority of them. What I did not expect was her voice! She sounds like … a siren. Her voice is purely and simply an enchantment.

Once our song is over, we have the usual claps that everyone gives as encouragement but don't really mean; but I still see some girls glaring at us. Well, more at her, though she doesn't seem to take notice of that. She simply goes back to our table and as soon as someone else starts singing, I start talking to her,

"So, instead of being Eureka, you're Ariel. Though your hair is a massive give away, I should have known."

"I'm sure there was a compliment somewhere in that sentence, so thank you," She says with a sarcastic tone.

"Are you always that feisty?"

"Are you always that …" She seems to be looking for a word that would sum up my attitude of the day towards her. And since I can tell she is going to go for 'asshole, I cut her off.

"Charming? Always."

"It's not exactly the word that I had in mind."

Why does this girl have to kill any concept of a nice conversation? I'm not that bad. I can be, but she hasn't seen the worst of me, yet.

"Clary? Can we, I don't know, be nice to each other?" After all, she is going to live with us, isn't she? If we're always fighting, it won't be healthy. She raises her eyebrow at me, surprised,

"Am I not nice?" She paused for a second, thinking to herself, before she admitted, "No, I guess not … But neither are you."

"You're right. But the thing is, I'm trying here, and I am usually not nice to other people."

"You mean you're usually only nice to yourself?" She says with sarcastic disbelief, but I don't really care about that, because she's finally smiling. Like a true and genuine smile, aimed at me. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. But I guess you're right, it's easier to pick on people than to be nice to them, isn't it?"

The question sounds a bit rhetoric to me. And she's clearly not expecting an answer since she takes a pen and starts doodling on her notes. Still, I saw a bit of nostalgia in her eyes, making me wonder what happened for her to make that statement with those emotions on her face.

As the class keeps on going, my mind starts wandering as to why I _need_ to be in good terms with that particular girl. It's not healthy to feel like my life depends on us being close and friends. It is not normal. I don't know her. I mean, sure she's attractive, and I would definitely have looked at her if I had seen her in the street, but why am I so drawn to her?

Briefly, I glance at her, trying to figure out why, and I take notice of what she's wearing. Because she's so white, the black of her clothes pops out even more. She's wearing skinny black jeans with combat boots, which makes sense since she's come here riding a bike. No girl would wear a dress on a bike, even less in autumn. She's also harbouring a black AC/DC shirt, way too big for her. I'm sure it would be too big for me to begin with. The shirt could almost be a dress for her, it reaches her mid-thighs.

It's almost like she's trying to hide her body from the world.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Jace's PoV**

"So this is my baby," She says, with sparkles in her eyes as she looks at her bike.

"Your _baby_? It's just a bike, you're aware of that, right?"

And I immediately regret my words. The glare she gives me makes me feel like she's ready to kill me for blasphemy. _Man_, she was really into her bike. So I immediately apologise, trying to make amend,

"Sorry. So, what kind of bike is that?"

"A Harley Davidson, Super Side Glide. She's a 1999 model," She explains as she tearing apart the bike.

I watch her, wondering if I could be that confident in doing the same with my car, and piece by piece, she's cleaning her vehicle with love and tenderness. This chick is definitely not a girl! I know dudes really into their cars who don't even act like that.

"So, how did you manage to afford a Harley?"

"Oh? So _now_, you know enough about bikes to know their price range?" And though I had expected her to be sarcastic, I can tell by her tone that she is just making conversation, even chuckling as she explains,

"I found her in the dumpster a while ago, and I —"

"_You_ rebuilt _this_ bike from scraps?" I cut her off, not believing my ears. I look at her, impressed, and when she nods, I can't help but whistle my awe. She's quick to be humble though,

"I wasn't alone. Jordan helped me a lot. He's actually the one who taught me how to ride, even though Mom wasn't really fond of the idea."

Jordan? Who is Jordan? Is that her boyfriend? There is so much care in her voice when she says his name that it actually hurts me. I want her to say _my_ name like that. okay, stop! When did I become so cheesy?

I clear my throat and keep on the conversation, "Moms never like bikes. It's in the bible of Moms."

"Probably … Anyway, enough about me."

"Does this mean you want to talk about _me_?"

"Your favourite topic," She beamed, and I can't help but chuckle a bit. I know she meant it as a joke, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Actually, I always avoid making things to personal and about me, even with Izzy and Alec. They have gotten used to that and know now which topic to avoid when I'm around. And now, I don't know how to rebuff her without sounding like an asshole. She's just starting to warm up to me, let's not ruin this thing.

She briefly glances in my direction, before knowingly smiling, as if she can relate, and she says, "It was just to make conversation. Don't worry, I don't mind talking about bikes for hours. Or we could talk about … girls?"

"You want to talk about girls?"

"Isn't it your second favourite topic, after yourself?"

"And how would you know that?" I tease because come on, she's right, I like girls.

"I'm a psychic," She gloats, all the while she washes her hands.

And before I know it, she's removing her shirt, making me hold my breath for a moment. But then, I realise that she has a tank top beneath it, though it is much skinnier than I expected. I mean, her shirt is overlarge, so I was expecting her to only have baggy clothes, or at least nothing that close to the skin. Especially when that simple black piece of clothing made me appreciate what she's been hiding all along. And though I know I shouldn't, my eyes immediately go to her breast, making me wish my lips could do the same.

"You should have seen your face! It was like I was going to molest you!" She laughs her heart out, and I immediately blush, not liking being caught off-guard like that and hoping at the same time that she did not see that.

Still, I take note of how she's no longer showing me her back, but she's facing me, her whole body tense as if she's in a defensive position.

"Well, usually girls don't strip on the first date," I counter, and she looks at me conspicuously before returning her focus on her 'baby'.

An awkward silence grows, and it hits me, I just said 'date'. With a small inspiration through my nose, I lean backwards, closing my eyes and resting my head against the wall, just to pretend that I did not just say that word. And thankfully, she doesn't bounce back on it, she stays focused on her bike.

After a little while, I open back my eyes, looking at her once again and wishing that there was some music to kill the silence. She's all sweaty and dirty, oil staining her forehead, left cheek and shoulder and a tiny spot next to her breast.

I keep on staring at her when she must have felt it and looks up, her green eyes looking right into me. And as soon as our eyes meet, something electric happens. The atmosphere that was rather chilled between us becomes … tense. I can feel my heart beating faster and my breath becoming shallower, as my whole body craves to touch her whole body. I can feel it all the way down, and without even realising it, I take a step forward.

Just as I do so, she tears her gaze away from me and gets up, clearing her throat, "I'm done. We should head back to wherever we're going to sleep. I have to take a shower."

"Of course, I'll show you to your room," I say, regaining my senses. _What the hell just happened_? She smiles at me, picking up her bag,

"Still with those stalking vibes, I see."

"Always finish when you start something and try to be the best at it," I tease as we start walking out of the auto shop. I notice that she's still only in her tank-top, and let her know, "Aren't you going to put your shirt back on?"

"No. I'm all oily and I don't want to run the shirt. It's a gift from Jordan."

Here we are again with that stupid name. I close the shop and take her to our quarters, trying to figure out which room she is going to use. I mean, technically, she should use the one next to mine, just so she can socialise with us. The other free room is by Max's room, but he's abroad in boarding school at the moment. This is going to be lonely if she takes that option.

Our walk is silent, and I don't try to impose her a conversation, especially since I don't seem able to make _normal_ conversation with her. And just as we're about to enter the Lightwood's private quarters, she stops me and says,

"I'm sorry."

"What? Why?"

"I know you tried to be nice since I got here, and … er … Let's face it, I did not return the favour. So, I'm sorry for being such a bitch, and thank you for sticking around."

Okay … I was not expecting that, _at all_. How am I even supposed to respond to that?

"You don't know, it might just be my stalky vibes."

She laughs at that, and I relax. I did not ruin it. Even though we're at the front door of our quarters, I don't make a move to get in, and neither does she, though she probably doesn't know how close she is to be able to get rid of me.

I lean against the door, watching her being surprised by my move. But she didn't bicker or scold me and even smiled right at me. Which made me bold and reach for her cheek to erase the stain of dirty oil there. For a second, I see a strange emotion in her eyes, before she takes a minute step backwards and laughs it off,

"The only way for me to get rid of that is to take a _really_ long hot shower."

"Maybe I should join you. You know, to help you rub everything off," I tease, rewarded by a deep blush, but I'll never know what she would have retorted to that because before I know it, I'm losing my balance and the door is being flung open.

As I manage to gracefully not fall flat on the floor, I see Izzy, and inwardly growls. Whenever I'm with a girl, no matter the moment, place, time, give it to Izzy to barge in and kill the mood (and yes, I do mean being caught on top of a girl as well).

Without a care in the world for me, and almost killing me, she goes to Clary, and starts talking in that super fast away only Izzy can do,

"Sorry for the asshat that is my brother. If he bothers you, just kick him where it hurts.

So you must be Clary, I'm Izzy, and I already know so much about you. It's crazy how our Moms used to be friends and we never got to see each other before now, isn't it? And we're living in the same city! New York is big, but come on, you're like half an hour away from us. Sometimes I wonder what's wrong with adults.

And I love your look. Very badass. Though I'm sure you could go for even sexier badass. We should definitely do something about that.

And yes, I know we started on the wrong foot with all that business yesterday night, but this was just all of us being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

And by the way! Magnus Bane is throwing a Halloween party and you _have_ to come. We could even match up! Or you could go as Ariel, but I think that's too obvious.

We're going to have so much fun! …"

And as she keeps endlessly talking to Clary, not even taking a single breath to give Clary the time to say anything, she drags my Clary away from me and further down our quarters. And I should _really_ stop calling her mine!

I walk behind them, because we're all heading in the same direction, and just before Izzy makes her disappear in her room, Clary glances at me, her eyes clearly saying 'Help me, get me out of here."

.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

**.**

💚** So, what did you think? I am rather excited about this story because the plot is so … exciting, though it is a slow start, I have to give you that. Haha**

💚** Also, I finally updated Mistakes after two years, so go and check it out, you won't be disappointed, I PROMISE YOU**

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	5. Chapter 5

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, I know it has been forever, but I was working on my second book, that should be out by the end of this month. It is quite exciting. I will let you know more about it soon. And don't worry, the next update should be The Mobster's Wife, I didn't forget about it. As I said, I was working on Fighting Hearts, and it was very time-consuming.**

**💚 Also, I have a beta for this story now, LunaticBlondie. You should check out her story, because, well, I think it is quite nice. **

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚

**.**

**Chapter 5**** (4,4K)**

**Clary's PoV**

_Geez_! That girl just won't stop talking! She keeps on going on and on and on, without ever taking a breather! I mean, we humans need oxygen to live, or even talk, so how does she do it? I can't even put a word out there without having to be rude and cut her off. And blah, and blah, and blah, parties. And blah, and blah, and blah, boys. And blah, and blah, and blah, shopping. _Wait_! What?

"I don't do shopping," I clarify for her, finally making her stop.

And apparently, all I have to do was to formulate a whole sentence to stop her crazy monologue. Though I'm not sure if I didn't like it better when she was talking nonstop. Now, she's staring at me as if I were some alien of some kind, and I am feeling very self-conscious. I shift a little and look at my feet, justifying myself,

"I mean, I just don't like being sequestered in a shop for hours."

"But how am I supposed to make you drop dead gorgeous?"

"Er... how about you don't? I assure you, I'll survive with the clothes I already have."

She looks at me with puppy dog eyes, making me feel instantly guilty. Damn me, and my empathy. But that doesn't stop her from keeping on talking as she sits on the bed,

"I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that I never had a _girl_ friend before, so I got carried away."

"_You_? Never having girl friends?" I muse because this is a big pill to swallow. This girl is the archetype of the popular girl in teen movies. I find that hard to believe that she never had a flock of girls following her around all throughout her school years.

"Well, yeah. Being the directors' daughter doesn't always play in your favour. It often sucks if you want my honest opinion. And add to that my two older dumbass brothers … Let's just say that I never had a _real_ girl friend who was my friend just for the sake of it."

I sit next to her, my heart full of compassion. Real friends are hard to find. I got lucky enough to have Simon, but not everyone is that lucky. I have the living proof just next to me. I awkwardly pat her shoulder, hoping to bring her some comfort, because, in all honesty, I'm as new as her in that whole being friend with a girl thing.

She chuckles, and points out, "Well, apparently, I'm not the only one struggling with making friends."

"You have no idea," I admit, making the two of us laugh.

"So, what's your story anyway?"

"I thought you knew all about me?"

"Well, I might have exaggerated a little. I really just know that our Moms knew each other, and that's why you're staying here. Apparently, you're too smart for your old school. But I don't know much more than that."

"There is nothing more to add to be fair. I'm sixteen, and now I am the new girl who came after the school year started. And … that's it."

She rolls her eyes, not having it, "Oh, come on! I don't want to hear about that! I want to know about your wild side, the one your parents don't know about."

"Haha. It doesn't really exist, sorry to disappoint."

"I don't believe you! I mean, you're riding a bike, you go to clubs and you shut people up just with one look. You've _got_ to have a wild side."

I shrug because I don't really see it her way. Sure all of this seems cool and _wild_ from her point-of-view, but the story behind those actions are anything but. And I am grateful that she is not pushing the issue when she sees that I am dead serious on not going down the road she'd love to jump on.

"Anyway, I'll show you to your room. I'm sure you want to take a shower. I have some old clothes that I'm sure you'll rock, and put them on your bed. It would be nice to see them again, especially on someone bound to be my friend."

Whether she did it on purpose or not, I'm feeling guilty already, and know that I will wear what she will give me. I don't even try to argue about it. Damn, she's good.

She shows me to my room (that thing is bigger than my actual living room!), and explain to me how the bathroom is next door. I actually have a door from my room to it, which I find as pure bliss. No awkward getting out of the bathroom and the whole wild world can see it. Then she explains to me that the door opposite mine is hers and that she herself has the same kind of convenience with her bathroom that she shares with Alec. I nod, not really paying attention.

Once I'm alone, I rush to the bathroom with my toiletries but freeze as soon as I'm inside. There is a second door leading to another room. What did Izzy say about the configuration of the rooms? Alec's room was next to hers, and Jace's next to mine. So if she has to share a bathroom with her brother, that means I have to share a bathroom with _Jace_! _Why_!? Two boys, two girls, why am I stuck with sharing with a guy? And _him_ of all people!

I look around, seeing all of his own toiletries displayed, and I inwardly whimper. Why, oh why!? What if he decides he wants to change or use the loo? For a moment, I almost pass on the shower I desperately want, and postpone it for more appropriate times, but then, I see my salvation. Locks on the doors.

With a sigh of relief, I close both doors and jump in the shower, scrubbing away all the oil and dirt I have on me. Once all clean and dry, I go back to my room, taking in the place. There is a desk to study (more likely draw) and a wardrobe worthy of Sex In The City. Even the bed is big. And on the bed are the clothes Izzy got me.

_A dress_! Stupid Clary agreeing to wear things before even knowing what they are! I stopped wearing dresses since … a while! I know Izzy couldn't have known, but still, I should have told her about that part of my dress code. With a little heave, I go to my suitcase and pull some trousers out of it, before getting dressed.

I have to admit that the dress in itself is nice, which is probably why I still wear it, with my trousers beneath it. The dress is pale green and shows a little bit more skin that I am used to, especially with that V-neckline, but we are inside. I can do the effort for Izzy.

After putting the little personal stuff I have in that humongous wardrobe, I leave the room and try to find my way to the kitchen where Izzy said she would be. But of course, a voice interrupts me in my quest. Though, who am I kidding, I know whose voice that is.

"So, Izzy didn't manage to change you into a real girl?"

I freeze, keeping my back to him. For a moment, I internally debate on whether I should just ignore him, or shut him up. But that moment must have been too long because he counters,

"Did you wash away your witty comments along with the dirty oil?"

I take a deep breathe, something inside of me telling me that he isn't going to hurt me, and I finally turn to look at him. For a moment, we just stare at each other, assessing one another, until he breaks contact and starts checking me out. And just what makes me take a small step backwards.

I see how his eyes go straight to my move, a hint of hurt and incomprehension; and before he can say or ask anything, I rush back to my room. I lean against the door after slamming it close, admonishing myself. _Now_, I am officially a freak!

For five long minutes, I just focus on my breath and steady my heart. This isn't going to be as easy as Mom promised. Didn't she know about her friend's numerous kids?!

Someone gently knocks on my door, and I rush to my wardrobe to get a large KoRn sweater before opening the door. Izzy stands on the thresholds, looking with criticism the way I accompanied her nice dress. So I try to make it better, smiling,

"Thank you for the dress. I really like the colour."

"So why can't I see it?" She snaps, and I pull the hem of the dress to show it to her. She rolls her eyes, and 'educates' me,

"_Man_! We have a lot of work to do with you. A dress is supposed to be showing some skin, tastefully enough to make men drool all over you. You do know that Clary, don't you?"

_All too well_. I smile, trying to ease my point-of-view to her, "I do. But I don't really wear dresses. But see, I'm wearing yours."

"With _trousers_! This is blasphemy!"

"Izzy, just drop it. If she's not that kind of girl, there's nothing you can do or say to change that. Now, let's go eat before I starve to death," Jace says, coming out of his room as if nothing happened**. **

Izzy growls, and stomps away, leaving Jace and me alone once again. I see how his eyes take notice of the additional sweater, but he doesn't comment on it. Thank God. All he does is signal me to follow him so we can eat,

"Come on. If we leave Izzy alone in the kitchen for too long, she will start cooking and we will all end up at the hospital by the end of the night."

"Er… thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving me from … you know."

He smirks, his normal cocky self making a reappearance, "Don't thank me. That's just a setback. Izzy has always dreamed of having a human size Barbie doll, and now she has you. I'm sorry to tell you, you're going to suffer."

We both laugh and stay silent for the rest of the way. I'm grateful that he doesn't mention the incident because I _really_ don't want to have this conversation.

When we got to the kitchen, Alec and Izzy are arguing, and Jace quickly jumps on Alec's side. Apparently, none of them wants Izzy to even be near the stove, whilst Izzy argues that she is perfectly capable of cooking. And as bad as it sounds, if two people are that adamant of not eating her cooking, I am not going to risk it. I want to live.

"I'll cook, don't worry."

"You can cook?" Alec inquires as if this is the most improbable thing in the world.

"It's not that difficult," Izzy looks at me with hurt. "I mean, my Mom and I cook a lot because we don't go out much. We try to keep the food more interesting than just rice and pasta, so we can cook."

Then, I start looking in the cupboards, mostly because they are all staring at me, and it's uncomfortable; and after a finding a few ingredients in the fridge, I decide for a Chinese stir-fry. it's quick and easy. Of course, all the while I'm chopping, cutting and cooking, they keep on staring at me, making me wish I hadn't said anything and let Izzy cook after all. I just don't like being the centre of attention.

"Well, it looks like there is at least one girl gene in you," Jace says, making Alec chuckle and me glare at him. I repress myself from throwing the wooden spoon at his stupid face, and let him know,

"Hey, caveman! It's not because I'm a girl that I can cook. It's because I was raised like that, that I can cook!"

"Caveman?" He muses, whilst Izzy does her best to hide her smile.

But she still ends up bursting in laughter, holding her stomach, making me smile. I may not be her ideal friend, but at least I made her laugh, and that's a good start, isn't it?

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

After dinner, I don't really linger and try to socialise, and I simply go to my room. since I'm such a dork, I already put on my jammies (which are a Star Wars shirt and some sweat pants) and I retrieve my sketch pad out of my bag to doodle a bit as I call Simon, and then my Mom. Of course, my doodling, as usual, results in landscapes, and unanimated objects, though there is something nudging me, from the corner of my mind.

As scheduled on a Swiss watch, as soon as I hang up with my Mom, Izzy barges in, yapping about coordination and costumes. And of course, I am totally lost in what she is trying to say.

"What costumes?"

"For the Halloween party, I told you about! please, don't be like my brothers and never listen to what I'm saying."

She gives me her best puppy eyes, forcing me to look down my sketchbook as I mutter in a barely audible voice, "Oh, that? I'm not going."

"What?! _Why_?"

"Halloween parties are only a valid reason for slutty girls to dress even sluttier than they usually do," I explain, not very eager to dress in some revealing outfit at some random party full of drunk people.

"Well, good thing we are not slutty girls, then. Come on, Clary! You _have_ to come! It will be fun. We could dress as sidekicks, or even better, we could dress as villain and good guy! please, _pretty please_! If you don't come, I will have to go on my own."

"What about your brothers?"

"Alec isn't going if Jace isn't going, and Jace isn't going if you are not going," She says, doing her best impersonation of Puss in Boots. And let me tell you, he has nothing on her. So of course, I give in. But still, I do give a few reservations,

"Alright, alright. But I want trousers and a decent shirt. Not some scrap of fabric that barely covers anything. And no leather, of course. And I get to choose the duo."

She hysterically nods at each of my demands, all too happy to have me agreeing on her crazy idea of a good time. Gee, what I wouldn't do to please people. crazy, isn't it? Especially since I barely know the girl. But then again, we are going to be living together, so it would be better if we got along.

I think about it for a few seconds, trying to see which iconic duo would be best for us, until I have the best idea in the world, "You could go as Harley Quinn and Catwoman. With your body and hair, you're going to make guys swoon in that cat outfit."

What I don't tell her, is that Harley has a jumpsuit, so I know I will be covered from head to toe. I'm a genius, hehe. Izzy beams at me, and claps her hands as she tells me,

"I have the perfect idea for your makeup."

I smile to her eagerness, though a part of my mind is curious as to know why Jace wouldn't go if I didn't. And so I ask her,

"By the way, um … do you know …" I start stuttering, and strangely enough, I don't have to form a proper question, Izzy understands what I meant.

"I don't know, he didn't say. He just mumbled something about having to watch over … well … that you might —"

I don't let her finish what Jace might have said, and just lay it out for the two of us, "Oh, I get it! He thinks that because I am small, I can't take care of myself!"

"No, no! It's not that, Clary. It's just that Jace is usually —"

I don't really bother listening to what she has to say after that, already on my way to his room, pounding on his door like there is no tomorrow. He nonchalantly opens the door and leans against the frame when he sees me whilst Izzy is short on my heels and Alec is at the door of his own bedroom. Great, now I have an audience.

"If you are scared of sleeping alone, I guess I can make some space for you in my bed," He cockily says, but I don't really care to retort something to him. I just bring my hand up and slap him with all my force. He stumbles backwards, bringing his hand to his cheek and looking at me with shock.

"What was that for?!"

"Who the Hell do you think you are to decide if I need protection or not?! I am not some petite damsel in distress and you are no fucking protective escort! You don't know me! And my height isn't a reliable measurement of my ability to defend myself! So fuck off!"

"Clary, I —" I don't even listen to his half-assed apology, and I go back to my room, slamming the door behind me and leaving Izzy and Alec gaping at me.

As soon as I'm alone, I take the chair by my desk and use it to lockthe door that leads to the bathroom I share with Jace. To be short, I am chickening out, clearly not assuming what I just did. To be honest, I don't know why I did it. It's not like me**,** I usually just let things go and ignore people, so I shouldn't let Jace get under my skin like that.

I collapse on my bed, trying to find some sleep, but failing like never before, which is ridiculous given the fact that I am exhausted. I keep on tossing in my bed, watching the digital numbers telling me how many more hours are left to sleep. Six. Five. Four.

With a heave, I get out of bed and go to the bathroom so I can drink some water and hopefully then go to sleep. But when I switch on the light, I almost let out a scream of fright. Jace is standing on his doorframe, in the same position as I am, though, unlike me, he doesn't look scared to death.

On the contrary, it looks like … _checking me out_. I look down, seeing my legs barely covered by my overlarge shirt. I shriek and pull the hem down, crouching to cover as much skin as possible.

"You know, you should really stop acting like that. It's not a nice feeling when you act as if I would hurt you with just one look."

I straighten a little, aware that I just acted like a psycho, though I do my best to pull my shirt down and I clear my throat a little when I realise that he is shirtless. And all I can think about is that I'm never going to be able to sleep with _that_ image engraved in my brain. _How come he is that perfect_!?

I mean, I always thought that just movie stars had abs that young, but I was clearly mistaking. And let's not start talking about his biceps. All I want is to feel them around me. My eyes keep going up until I meet his eyes and I see the concern in them. I look away, avoiding the eye contact he is obviously trying to create with me, and mutter from my spot,

"Sorry for walking in on you."

And with that, I turn around and close the door, having all but forgotten about my glass of water. But just before the door is properly, I pop my head back in and tell him,

"And sorry for earlier. I got … it won't happen again."

Then I go back to bed, trying to not overthink what he just said. See, no matter how much I tried to act tough around him, Jace saw right through me, and he knows that I am a ridiculously fragile little girl. No wonder why he thought he ought to protect me …

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

Shortly after I finally managed to get some sleep, the alarm clock beeped. Too loud and too early as usual. And as usual, I kept on snoozing, stealing a few minutes of sleep. Or I was hoping to, until Izzy barged in, smelling fresh and harbouring a brilliant smile,

"Wakey, wakey, sleepy head! It's been half an hour since your alarm started ringing."

"Izzy, let me sleep," I whine, throwing a pillow in her general direction to make her disappear. She dodges it, and comes to my bed to remove my cover,

"No, no, no! We don't have time for sleeping in. I have to do your hair and makeup."

"I'm no a Barbie, Izzy. I don't need to look like a runaway model to go to _school_."

Of course, she's not having it and draws the curtains open, blinding me in the process. She rips me away from the comfort of my bed and throws me in the bathroom. As soon as my feet touch the cold tiles, I freeze, very aware of where I am and hoping that Jace is nowhere to be seen.

Once I am sure that I am alone, I jump in the shower and start scrubbing myself, when I hear a door opening. "Izzy, go back! I am in the shower alright!"

"We're going to have to establish a schedule because this is not going to work for me!" I hear before a door is slammed and I let myself slump against the wet wall, mortified. I definitely agree with him, we're going to have to establish a schedule, or I will have to work on locking doors! Simple as that.

Once I finally have collected myself, I leave the bathroom and find an impatient Izzy in my room, waiting for me as she points out, "Took you long enough!"

"It's not my fault. I … Well …"

I don't have to explain that Izzy points out some clothes on my bed and knowingly says, "I know, I heard. Who cares? Just put that on and get dressed whilst I go pick my straightener as well as my makeup bag."

As soon as she's out, I put on the clothes she left me, relieved that though they are close to the skin, there is no dress to be seen. still, I don't really take the time to see how the clothes fit me and sneak out of my room before Izzy comes back with her instruments of torture.

In the kitchen, I find a very amused Alec and a less amused Jace who's chocking on bacon and eggs. I pretend that everything is alright, and pour myself a glass of water. There is this awkward silence between the three of us before Jace lets me know,

"You'd better grab a plate before Alec eats it all."

I awkwardly smile at him, seeing that he is trying to be nice, and I am saved from saying anything by Izzy screaming at me to get my ass back to her. Just her tone tells me that she just declared war to me. And so, as her voice gets closer to me, I grab an apple and my sweater before shutting the boys to keep my cover and flying away.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

It's only once in front of my literature class that I realise that I am the queen of stupid. In my rush of escaping Izzy and her crazy of a makeover, I left without my school bag. I loudly heave, looking up the ceiling and whining to myself,

"This is what we call being stupid!"

"I agree," Jace says behind me, making me turn to see that he is smirking at me, swinging my bag in his hand.

"Well, thank you for my bag!"

"You're welcome."

I glance at the room, not so eager to go to class, but I never really skipped school without a good reason. I'm about to go to the class when I feel someone pulling me the other way,

"You really are a goodie-to-choose. If you want to ditch, let's just ditch. There is a small aperture in the parking lot that we can take. No one will ever know."

We head out, and once outside of the Institute, I don't know … feel wild and free. I feel like all the pressure is gone. That all mess that is my life isn't that much of a big deal after all. To be honest, I don't even feel embarrassed being around Jace anymore.

So I turn to look at him, feeling happy as I can be, and I ask, "So what we do now?" After all, I never ditched school.

"First of all, I'll do that," He says, slowly rising to my face and I can't help but blush under his gaze.

His eyes are steady on me, making my heart beat faster. So fast that it is actually blasting in my ears. His finger gently goes to my hair, and I realise what is about to happen. But I can't tell if I want it or not. I want it, but in the meantime, I am scared of it. It's like there are two Clary's fighting over that, the wild Clary, and the calm Clary.

Our gazes never break, when …

.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

**.**

💚** So, what did you think? I am rather excited about this story as I keep on saying, because, haha. You'll see, mouhahahaha**

💚** Also, which story are you most excited I'll update next? I mean The Mobster'sWife is next, but is that something you're looking forward to?**

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	6. Chapter 6

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, I know it has been forever, but I was working on my second book, that should be out by the end of this month. It is quite exciting. I will let you know more about it soon. **

**💚I made some updates on ‼️**

**~ The Mobster's Wife, (**Sequel to The Boss's Daughter Being the daughter of a world-renowned criminal has never been easy on Clary. And now, she fell in love with someone even more brutal than her father. Will her couple endure the hardships that being with mobster brings? Will she be strong enough to not lose herself in that dark world, and bring some light into Jace?**)**

**~ OneShot, Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Sinned (**All is in the title ... Just give it a try, and let me know what you think**)**

**~OneShot, The Cabin In The Wood (**Clary is the Princess of the Morgenstern's Kingdom, marrying the Prince of another kingdom. Is it going to be like any other arranged marriage where she would end up resenting her husband, or is it the beginning of a story where friendship is stronger than she ever thought...**)**

**~ShortStory, Twisted (**He's in love with the one girl he can't have. And he can't get her out of his head. What happens when she shows up with some unexpected news after years of absence.**)**

**~OnsShot, Outta My Mind (**Jace is sick, and waiting for a visit from his friend, Clary ...**)**

**~OneShots, Always And Forever (**It is Jace's and Clary's anniversary, but Jace has some secret he needs to come clean about that could endanger their future as a couple ...**)**

**I didn't forget about it. As I said, I was working on Fighting Hearts, and it was very time-consuming.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚

**.**

**Chapter 6**** (4,0K)**

**.**

**Chapter 6**** (3,3K)**

**Jace's PoV**

So, it's official, Clary isn't just weird, she's crazy. And with a death wish, that is. I mean, nobody ditches Izzy, especially during a makeover! Even Alec and I know better and listen to her when she decides to change our wardrobes.

And of course, now Izzy is mad at us for letting Clary getaway. though, surprisingly, Alec takes her defence, "Let her be, Iz. Of course, she ran away. I'd hate being in her place between you torturing her and Jace trapping her in the bathroom."

I glare at the traitor, hating him for bringing that up. I told him about the accident in confidence, and I certainly wasn't expecting him to betray me like that. Especially to Izzy who is narrowing her eyes at me, reading to tear me a new one.

"Oh, so now you set up booby traps in the bathroom? And there I thought that you'd behave at home and try to pretend you're a gentleman when ladies were around."

"First of all, there was no booby trap, just bad timing. second, Clary isn't a lady."

"Well, what is she if she's not a lady?"

"She's just … er … Clary."

Izzy gave me a look with that grin that I hate so much, and I rolled my eyes, saying that I was off to class. Let's be honest here, she's never going to let it go. I should have kept my mouth shut and let her think I was just being a caveman.

As I'm about to head out, she catches up with me with a bag that looks nothing like her kind of accessories and she hands it to me, saying, "Well, _just Clary_ forgot her bag. Since you're leaving earlier than us, you'd better give it to her and apologise for your _bad timing_."

I swear, sometimes I hate that Izzy is my sister. Especially when she looks at me like she knows all my dirty little secrets. still, I take the bag and I head out in search of the redhead out. Of course, because I'm such a terrible person who likes to push the limits, I end up influencing her in ditching class. I know how it will look in the eyes of the students, but I don't care very much. If Clary is with me when I get home tonight, Izzy can't say much, can she? And yes, Maryse will be pissed with me for whooping her new protégée to the dark side, but she never stays mad for long.

As soon as we're outside of the school, Clary immediately seems to relax. I mean, she always seems so defensive, thinking before speaking or even acting, whereas now, she's just free. She's happily smiling, enjoying being out and about, and that simple smile on her face makes me happy myself. Especially when she closes her eyes and just takes in the little vitamin D the autumn sun can give her. She looks so peaceful at that right moment that I'm sure she could bring World Peace with her serene smile.

When she opens her eyes, her smile is directed to me and as our gazes meet, I can tell that she is definitely more relaxed. She's not that tensed little girl that I've seen for the past day. She's just … Clary. And … I don't know. Having her so serene, looking at me with such peace and happiness, it makes my heart beat like a drum and sends shivers all through my body. _Again_.

I'm not stupid, I know exactly how I'd like to pursue this moment. After all, she's a girl, and I'm a boy, and we have unlimited free time ahead of us. Especially since I can see in the sunlight how beautiful she is. _So damn beautiful_. With her big green eyes, her light freckles on her face fading as summer was flying away, her lips so full and begging for me to kiss them.

Without even thinking about it, I raised my hand to her face, but before I could even touch her, I saw a glimpse of fear in her eyes, so I settled on undoing her ponytail to justify my gesture and looked away as I stepped back with a frown. Am I that bad of a person for her to always fear me like that? This isn't the first time I'm seeing the fear in her eyes when it's just the two of us, and I hate it.

"You look better with your hair down," I explain, so I don't look like a creep touching her hair. "Maybe we could grab breakfast since you didn't get the chance to eat this morning."

"You have a place in mind?" She asked, and though I'm not looking in her direction, her voice seems a bit down.

"How about we go somewhere you like?"

She nods and starts walking, so I follow her, still bothered by the fright I seem to put in her. I try not to overthink it, because Alec always said that, though I had good instincts, I also seem to always see the worst out of a situation. So I'm muting whatever my instincts are telling me about Clary and her obvious dislike of being too close to a man, and decide to put it on her being shy.

And there is more than this to think about. There is also the fact that since I saw her in that club, I can't manage to get her out of my head. It's not something obsessional like I'm a creep or something, but it's like … like she's been something missing my whole life, and now that I have her, I only realise it. And I'm not sure if I like it. I like being my own independent self, not attached to anything or anyone.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Jace's PoV**

As we enter the coffee shop Clary took us to, her whole body lights up before she bolts to someone and abandons me by the door. And all my theories forming about her and men-proximity crumble down as I see her hugging some random dude. He hugs her back, his embrace definitely more meaningful than hers, and he takes her hand to make her sit by his side.

As she does so, she looks up and waves at me to join them, and I do so because … I don't want to be openly rude to someone I'm living with 24/7. I mean, if I were to listen to myself, I would have left her there and gone on my merry way, because I have no interests in being their fifth wheel. Especially since not even half an hour ago, I was about to kiss the girl senseless.

But I guess I'm being petty here because though it's obvious he _likes_ her, it's also obvious that she doesn't see him that way. Guess who's being stuck in the friend zone. Now I just need to make sure that I never end in the same position as him, because there is no way I will let her put me in the friend-zone. Wait … ignore that. I don't want to be her anything. I'm just … interested in the novelty that she is. Yeah, let's stick to that.

"Jace, this is Simon, Si, this is Jace."

We nod to each other, which makes Clary roll her eyes at us, "Guys and your 'virility'. Talking to each other won't make you less of a man."

"Sure let's talk. Aren't you supposed to be in class in your super fancy school?"

"I could ask you the same? Aren't you going to be late?" She retorts with a knowing grin, and … I don't know. It annoys me that they are so close to one another. sure, it is strictly platonic, whatever the rat face hopes, but I can't deny that they have chemistry, even if it's just as friends.

"On my way, Fray."

Finally, he gets up, and Clary walks him out to the front door after ordering some banana pancakes from the waitress. And though I don't like to admit it, I'm annoyed that her friend can manage to make her so happy in barely seconds with him, when she's always so tensed with me. And what's annoying me, even more, is that I care so much. This isn't me. I'm usually the kind of person who cares about no one but his family, and now I'm being all sappy over nothing.

"So, what do you want to do during our free day?" She asks me as she sits back in front of me. I shrug, not really sure of what we could do where she wouldn't end up looking at me with fright, and deflect the question on her,

"What do _you_ want to do?"

"I don't know, I've never ditched school before. Plus, I'd figure you would have left me on my own, off to some date or something."

"What kind of man do you take me for?" I ask, raising my eyebrow at her as she bites her lip with nervousness, blushing and looking down. But then she looks up with determination, and says,

"I'm not as stupid as you think, you know. I mean, look at you and look at me. I know you have better things to hang out with a scr— with me … I just … would appreciate it if you wouldn't playwithmyemotionslikethat."

She mumbled very fast the last part, and even though I'm still trying to understand what she said last, I don't push it. Mostly because I can't wrap my head around the fact that she thinks that she's out of my league and that I could leave her like an old sock when we ditched together. _Man_, why do girls always have to make everything so complicated?!

I don't say anything, because, well, what can I say to that. So we eat in a rather awkward silence and once we're done, I glance at her, wondering how she's going to react to my relocation. She follows me without asking questions and as we take the subway, I take her hand in mine without really thinking about it.

She tenses a bit, but does not snap her hand away, and so we silently wait for the subway to take us where I want to go. Her hand is _so_ tiny, it's ridiculous. I can feel the small bump on her finger, probably due to drawing so much, and the longer I have her hand in mine, the less I want to let it go. As in, _ever_.

When we're outside our final destination, she finally retakes possession of her hand, looking at me as if I was missing something crucial about my life, and she tells me, "You really _do_ think that I'm not a girl, don't you?"

"You're being so sexist right now. Didn't you ever see Million Dollars Baby? Women can box as well. In fact, Izzy comes here once or twice a week."

Okay, I'm being smug here, but how many times in his life can a guy call a girl out on this kind of thing. She looks at me, obviously out of arguments, and then follows me inside. I give her the key to Izzy's locker, so she can change into clothes appropriate for boxing, and go to my own locker with a small smile as she makes a joke on how I always seem to have the right keys.

Once I'm changed into sweatpants, I go to the main room where the ring. This is a place I like to go to empty my mind, especially during the day because it's usually empty during work hours. Robert is friend with the owner of the place, and he has no idea that I snuck the keys a few months and made doubles so Alec, Izzy and I can come whenever we want to blow out the steam.

As I'm picking up two pairs of gloves, Clary appears in the room, in a pair of yoga pants, one of Izzy's sweater covering the rest of her body and her hair back up in a ponytail. I throw her a pair of gloves, though I point out,

"You know, boxing in a sweater is not really convenient."

"I'll manage."

"Or you could just remove it. I won't stare, I promise."

She looks at me, evaluating if she should trust me or not, and finally decides to remove the sweater, revealing a white tank top below. When her head pops back out, I look away and get to the ring, but she doesn't follow me there,

"I'm not fighting you," She wrongly states, and I smirk at her leaning on the cord as I taunt her,

"Why not? Afraid to lose?"

"To kick your ass to tomorrow more like it. Remember what happened yesterday night? It gave me a taste for your blood."

Even though I remember quite vividly that slap I got yesterday, I just help but laugh out loud at the idea of this small tiny person hurting me. I mean, I come here much more regularly than Izzy, and I like to stay fit in general. As I'm laughing my heart out, I receive a glove in my face and she admonishes me,

"Stop laughing! It's not attractive when you snarl like a pig."

"I'm a pig?" She nods, quite proud of herself, and I shake my head, getting out of the ring and directing her somewhere she can start, instead of throwing gloves at my gorgeous self.

"Well, let the pig introduce you to something marvellous called a bag. Aim your anger there, instead of my _attractive_ face."

She glares at me, and after putting on the gloves, she gives the bag a punch that wouldn't have managed to knock a dying leaf from its branch. I condescendingly look at her, and insist,

"This is not _Kung Fu Panda_. Hit it as you mean it. Just let it out."

"Let what out, exactly?"

"That thing I can see crawling inside of you."

For a moment, she looks at me offended, ready to argue that she is perfectly fine, but I silence her with just one look. Though she never said anything and she does her best to hide, we both know that there are emotions bubbling inside of her begging to be set free. I sigh a little and go to the rower, so she can deal on her own with whatever there is inside of her, and as I row, I hear her punch the bag. Weirdly enough, it seems that instead of trying her out, it goes her more and more energy and her punches sound more and more violent.

I stop rowing to look at her, seeing the anger and determination in her eyes, and she must have caught me staring because, after a strong punch, she just stops to look at me. But of course, the bag swings bag her way and knocks her out, making me dash to her. Before I can make it to her, she's back on her feet, heading to the locker room, and I grab her by the shoulders to make her look at me.

She has a nose bleed, but it doesn't look that serious, just an aftermath of boxing. What I'm more concerned about are her tears. She's crying, though she quickly turns her head to hide them from me, and without really knowing what takes over me, I take her in my arms. For what seems hours, she cries against my chest, and I know it's not because of her nosebleed. She's crying because of something else, something I can't protect her from, some demon from her past that made her so wary of strangers …

Slowly, her tears turn to sobs, and I start being conscious of her presence against me for something else than just bringing her comfort. I feel her playing with my shirt as she says,

"I'm sorry, your shirt is a mess because of me."

I finally let go of her, only to see what she means, and I see that though her nosebleed has stopped, my shirt is now stained with blood and tears in addition of my earlier sweat. Without thinking about it, I remove it, which results in Clary boggling me. Not that I mind.

"You have _tattoos!_"

"Didn't you see them yesterday when you were checking me out?"

She glares at me, though I can still spot the slight blush on her cheeks. slowly, she raises her hand to my chest, and I just freeze. Maybe she is hypnotised by the ink, but I am mesmerised by her and intoxicated by her presence so close to me. I am unable and unwilling to move as her delicate fingers trace the lines of one of my tattoos, and as I shiver beneath her touch, she confesses in a whisper,

"I've always wanted a tattoo. And yours are just … _beautiful_."

Her fingers keep on tracing the lines on my body, probably feeling how unsteady my heart is when I'm around her, and all I want to do is reciprocate what she's doing to me to her.

"What does this one mean?" She asks, outlining the tattoo on my right pec.

"Strength," I let out in a breath, before grabbing her hand in mine, not able to hold it anymore. Her touch is just electrifying, and I know how shell reach if I try to do to her what she's doing to me.

This seems to snap her back to reality, and she steps back, shaking her head and looking anywhere but in my eyes. I let go of her hand, closing my eyes to keep to myself the strong desire I have to kiss her, and I hear her leave, so I go to the lockers pick up a new shirt along with my bag and leave he gym.

I see her walking away, and quickly catch up to her, demanding answers, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"_Nothing_."

"Where are you going, then?"

"Nowhere. I just … needed some fresh air," She says, though she keeps her head down, and it feels that though she already cried, she's yet again on the verge of tears. I just wish I could do something to cheer her up, and that's when it hit me

Hodge would probably have my head for it, he's not really fond of inking me since I'm underage, and he'll be even less fond of inking someone else.

"You said you wanted a tattoo. Let's go get one."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Jace's PoV**

"People are such liars!" Clary complains, though she keeps on brightly smiling as she looks at her forearm where she has her very first tattoo.

Strangely enough, she had gotten the same tattoo that I have, strength, and strangely enough, I kind of like the idea that we have that one thing in common. let's be honest, I'm sure she chose the tattoo for what it means and for its aesthetic, but still, I like that we are sharing the same ink. It makes me feel like we're connected.

"It wasn't that bad. You didn't cry," I point out, mostly because I'm sure that now that she's had a taste of it, she's going to come back for more.

"Maybe. But what about the bee sting feeling? It was much _much_ worse!"

"Well, you know what they say about redheads, you're more prone to pain."

She glares at me, her pain completely forgotten and I smirk at her, quite proud of myself.

"Well, you know what they say about blonds, you're more prone to stupidity."

"It's okay. As long as I have my good looks to fall back on."

She rolls her eyes and looks at the door leading us to the private quarters of the Institute. Yup, that's how long she's been ranting about how much getting inked hurt. She puts her hand on the handle, before turning to me, and saying,

"But … I'd like to thank you for today. For the comfort and the cheering up. It was a very nice day with you, Jace. Thank you."

And with that, she kisses my cheek. My eyes grow wide open, and before she can even register it, I spin her around and cage her by placing my hands on each side of her face. My eyes ravage her pretty face, here beautiful green eyes, her fully parted pink lips. I start to lean closer to her, my heart in my throat as there is no fear in her eyes, and just when I'm about to close my eyes and kiss this girl that's been on my mind for the past two days, I hear Maryse's voice echoing in the corridor,

"Jace!"

"Damn it," I mutter, more to myself than for Clary's benefit and as I hang my head low, she uses the opportunity to escape from me.

I fist my hands and straighten up, annoyed that my first kiss with Clary was stolen by Maryse of all people, and after asking Clary a moment with me, Maryse looks at me with that look that meant that I was in trouble.

"You can't do that again, you hear me?"

"_Excuse me_?" I am no idiot, and I know that Maryse has a fairly good idea of my virtue at this point. But she never interfered in that part of my life, so why now?

"I don't care if you skip school, Jace. It looks good on neither Robert or me, but I know you can keep up. But Clary has been brought here for a reason, and you can't make her leave school grounds like that."

"What do you mean?

"Promise me you won't lure her outside anymore?"

"You're not going to explain?"

She shakes her head, and after getting out of me the promise that she wanted, she goes back to her office. Which is rather frustrating. What does she mean Clary came here for a reason? I thought that she just transferred like any other student could do.

Of course, I was never gotten the chance to think any of this through as Izzy attacks me as soon as I am in our private quarters and ordered me to go to Taki's to get some food from there. Of course, when I start to argue, ready to counterattack the threat of her cooking, she responded that she would make sure that she would give me some alone time with Clary, and … well, I can't refuse to that, especially if I manage to finish what has been interrupted.

Once in Taki's, I pray everything that is holly that a certain person is not working today, but of course, today is the day when I have zero luck. As soon as she sees me, she brightly smiles and sexily walks to me, and I greet her,

"Hi, Kaelie."

.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

**.**

💚** So, I know the story is still setting up, but ... but in good times. **

**💚What did you think of the Clace and Jace's thoughts on it?**

**💚What did you think of what Maryse said?**

**💚 What was your favourite part?**

**💚 What do you think will happen after?**

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	7. Chapter 7

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, I know it has been forever, but I was working on my second book, that should be out by the end of this month. It is quite exciting. I will let you know more about it soon. **

**💚I made some updates on **

**~ The Mobster's Wife, (**Sequel to The Boss's Daughter Being the daughter of a world-renowned criminal has never been easy on Clary. And now, she fell in love with someone even more brutal than her father. Will her couple endure the hardships that being with mobster brings? Will she be strong enough to not lose herself in that dark world, and bring some light into Jace?**)**

**~ OneShot, Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Sinned (**All is in the title ... Just give it a try, and let me know what you think**)**

**~OneShot, The Cabin In The Wood (**Clary is the Princess of the Morgenstern's Kingdom, marrying the Prince of another kingdom. Is it going to be like any other arranged marriage where she would end up resenting her husband, or is it the beginning of a story where friendship is stronger than she ever thought...**)**

**~Story, Destined (**Clary and Jace meet in a club in Roma. Their connection is spontaneous, but is it going to last? Are they actually meant to even see each other again? **)**

**~ShortStory, Twisted (**He's in love with the one girl he can't have. And he can't get her out of his head. What happens when she shows up with some unexpected news after years of absence.**)**

**~OnsShot, Outta My Mind (**Jace is sick, and waiting for a visit from his friend, Clary ...**)**

**I didn't forget about it. As I said, I was working on Fighting Hearts, and it was very time-consuming.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚

**.**

**Chapter 7**** (2,0K)**

**Clary's PoV**

As I lay on my bed, I do my best to calm my heart who has been beating like a crazy drum ever since I left Jace. This day has just been a roller coaster of emotions. I don't know … Jace is making me nervous for all the wrong reasons. The way he looks at me, like I'm something precious to him, the way he holds me like he wants to protect me from everything, the way he makes me … feel good about me.

With frustration, I throw a pillow over my head and scream all that built-up tension into it. I mean, I'm not supposed to have butterflies in my stomach at the simple thought of Jace. I'm supposed to be empty and to let the shadows swallow me into the empty! How come he manages to make me feel like that when I barely know him? How can he make me _want_ to have his hands on me, his lips on mine, when a week ago, I had no idea of who he was?

If I'm being honest with myself, all I want is for him to take me into his arms and hold me, for him to never let me go. But of course, every time we had a slightly intimate moment, he turned away and changed the mood. And … then … when I got a bit braver and gathered the courage to kiss him (sure, it was a peck on the cheek, but it was still something), when he caged me to the wall, making me crave to feel his callous hands on my skin, when he had started to lean to kiss me, we got interrupted.

The fact that he swore and looked annoyed kind of makes me happy. It's like he wanted to kiss me and that he was disappointed that someone came in the way. And let's be real, I'm disappointed as well. Maybe I'm not normal to want him to kiss me so badly, but here I am, wishing that Maryse never came.

With a jolt, I get up and put a CD of Alice Cooper in the radio, blasting the volume to the maximum before sitting by the window pan with my sketchpad on my knees and without thinking much about it, I let the pencil lead my fingers, cleansing my mind, heart and soul of anything. As time passes and the sun sets down, I keep on drawing, sometimes singing along Alice and when I snap out of my stupor, I look at what I created.

Jace.

For the first time in a long time, I drew a person, and of course, it had to be Jace. _Why_? (note the desperate tone, here). I was supposed to get him out of my mind, not on paper. And what's even worst, is that I drew him as an angel. A shirtless, golden angel, with his tattoos all in the right places all over his golden chest, his golden hands reaching for something, large fluffy white wings with glints of gold all over them, and his golden eyes staring straight into my soul.

But there is something off about that drawing. Something … not right. His facial expression is just … not here. I mean, without bragging, this drawing is perfect, it's a perfect representation of Jace, in black, white and yellow; but his eyes are just wrong. Jace would _never_ look at me like that. When he looks at me, it's usually with curiosity, care, playfulness, protection and … something else. _This_ Jace on the other hand … this Jace is all sorts of wrong.

I grunt out of frustration and tear the drawing out of my sketchpad, crumbling it into a ball and throwing it away with anger. But because I'm not known for my luck, Alec happens to open the door at that right moment and ends up with the unperfected picture hitting his face.

He laughs it off, briefly glancing at the ball of paper when it hits the floor as he asks, "Do I have to take that as a way to tell me that you're not hungry? Because according to Jace, you haven't had food since breakfast."

"I'm sorry! I was planning to hit you, I promise! I'm coming."

He nods, though I still see that little look he has, making me seem crazy, and I'm sure he just heard me scream before he opened the door. I'm just not used to live with people who aren't Mom or Luke. With haste, I leave my pad on the bed and turn off the music before joining the Lightwoods in the kitchen.

Jace and Alec are talking about which costumes they would wear for Halloween, and I grimace because I forgot about that whole ordeal coming up.

"I think we can pull off Sam and Dean Winchester. It's an easy costume, and no one can deny that they belong in Halloween," Jace suggests, earning a shrug from Alec and an outraged look from Izzy.

"You _can't_ go as the Winchesters! There is no dressing up involved! It's cheating! Clary, help me with this one!"

I shrug as well, sitting at the table as I point out the obvious, "Well, Izzy … Supernatural and Halloween is a match made in heaven. It's even when the show starts …"

Jace victoriously grins at Izzy whilst Alec is more interested in displaying the food on the table and serving himself, which I applaud. I mean, this guy has his priorities set down. Food always comes first. So I take a plate on my own, and do defend Izzy a bit,

"On the other hand, if we want to be fair and all, none of you look like either Sam or Dean. I mean, despite the physicality of it, you don't have their charisma, no offence Alec."

"None taken," He responds with his mouth full, clearly not caring one bit about the conversation.

As I serve myself rice and nothing else, Izzy snickers at Jace who says with frustration,

"All of this would be so much easier if you guys told us what you were going as. We could match, then."

"Well, we're going as —"

"Don't you dare tell them, Clary! If we match up with them, everyone at the party is going to think that we're together."

I frown at Izzy, failing to see her logic. Weren't we going to go together, anyway? But since she's looking at me with her puppy dog eyes, I shrug and give her that. I don't really care to begin with. Alec gives me a look that says that he feels for me and explains why he hasn't been involved in the conversation, and the two of us silently eat as Izzy and Jace keep on arguing,

"How fair is that that you get to veto our outfit, and we don't get to do the same with yours?"

"It's called having a sister, deal with it, Jace. And I'd strongly advise you to drop the issue and simply go with it. You don't want me to _make you_ drop it."

"Make me? Really easy? Like I can't take you on?"

For a while, Alec and I look at them glaring at one another, and as it seems that neither was ready to back down, Izzy visibly relaxes and casually asks, "How was Kaelie, anyway? I'm sure she was thrilled to see you."

With a last powerful glare, Jace got up to grab a plate, not without glancing in my direction, and when he sits next to me, serving himself some food as he inquired,

"Is that all you're going to eat?"

"I'm … actually a vegan so … rice should do."

Alec gets up as he explains to me, "Our little brother is in his meat-free period, so we have a lot of meat replacement and food suitable of veggies. Let me see if any are vegan-friendly as well."

"You have another brother?"

Izzy nods, as she lets me know, "Yes, he's in boarding school, and unlike some people here, he can behave. His name is Max."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Clary's PoV**

I've been in Izzy's room for what seems to be hours, wishing that I've had come up with an excuse to skip that stupid Halloween party stuff. It's finally the cursed day she has been talking about none stop ever since I came to stay at the Institute, and I cannot wait to be tomorrow. I've been trying to get Mom to get me out of it, but of course, Mom said that I have to learn to mingle with people my age.

So now, I'm being a human doll for Izzy whilst she takes care of my hair, my makeup. Of course, according to her, this is fun, but in my book, this is torture. Guantanamo has nothing against this girl! And you know what's worse? I chose Harley because she wears a jersey outfit covering her from head to toe. But Izzy being the she-devil that she is, she found me a costume from the Injustice video game. Sure I have trousers, but I also have a super revealing top that leaves so little to the imagination. She also died half of my hair with washout black colour and painted my nails black and red and did my makeup pale like Harley.

On the other hand, Izzy looks … delicious. Don't get me wrong, I know that in that outfit and all, I look out, but I'm not really comfortable with that idea, and Izzy looks amazing as well. She's wearing some leather-like skin-tight outfit that embraces her curves perfectly, and she did not zip her outfit purposely all the way to the top, showing her generous décolleté. Instead of wearing a mask, she has smokey eye makeup, and she's wearing a headband that has kitty ears. Her hair is all loose and curly, and there isn't an inch of skin, but her cleavage. Basically, she's making sure people will look where she wants them to look.

With a grin, she catwalks to the other end of her room, proud of what she looks like, and she picks up a huge mallet that she gives me, and a whip that she hangs on her huge belt that curves her waist even more.

"We're going to turn so many heads tonight, it's amazing!"

I refrain myself to roll my eyes because that's definitely not my goal, and we leave her room to join the boys. Alec is dressed as Beetlejuice, going as far as even dying his hair green for the occasion and putting on rotten teeth as well, and I wish I would have come up with that sort of idea, instead of super sexualised superheroes.

He tells us that he's going to be the designated driver of the evening, and though I don't drink (officially, none of us does), I agree, mostly because I don't have a licence to drive more than one person… officially.

We start walking outside, a part of me wondering where Jace could be, and he hails me,

"Are you not even going to wait for me, Harley?"

I turn and see … the _Phantom of the Opera_, his cape flying behind him as he walks to me. I look at his mask, a bit curious if like his siblings Jace went all in, and 'destroyed' his face beneath it, and I brightly smile at him. I mean … the Phantom has always been a fictional crush of mine, because of the beauty and purity of his art, of his love, of his soul. And for a second, I regret that it's not just the two of us.

.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

**.**

💚** So, I know the story is still setting up, but ... all in good times. **

**💚 What was your favourite part?**

**💚 What do you think will happen after?**

**Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	8. Chapter 8

💚 **Another Chance **💚

**Chapter 8 (3,9)**

"Izzy, I'm going to kill you!" I growl between gritted teeth, not able to look away from Clary.

"Why? I told you I'd bring the gorgeous out of her," My traitorous sister wickedly says, a grin echoing in her voice, even though I am not looking at her. I finally tear my eyes away from the redheaded Harley Queen, and glare at Izzy,

"She already was gorgeous! You made her _too_ damn hot! Every guy is going to be all over her, tonight!"

Izzy doesn't have time to say anything because Clary hails at us from the other end of the corridor, "You guys are coming, or what?"

We walk to her, closing the door behind us. Izzy bolts to the car, claiming that she is having shotgun, and since Alec is the one driving tonight, I am stuck in the back with Clary. And though I don't say much during the ride, it doesn't stop me from actually looking at her. She is just a vision. _So fucking hot_! sometimes, I wonder what is wrong with this sister of mine.

To be fair, Harley has always had a soft spot on me, because … reasons. But the outfit that Clary is wearing is just perfect for her. naturally, she had that very fair skin, that makes the black and the red of her costume pop out. The black corset that she's wearing over a black and red tank top, doesn't go all the way down, so I can see a bit of skin at the level of her stomach. And it also does what corsets do best, make her boobs pop out. And during the whole ride, there is this itch in me that makes me want to caress the tiny bit of skin revealed.

The rest of her outfit is as black and red as her top. She is wearing fingerless gloves, one black and one red; and her trousers are also black and red, each matching the opposite colour of the glove. Her spiked belt holds two fake guns, that look very cartoony, the kind Harley would have, and she has thigh boots over her trousers, again, one of each colour.

Her makeup is also pretty faithful to the character, with a natural white face, black smokey eyes that are a bit faded, and bright pink lips. And of course, even her hair is in accordance, with two ponytails. One of her natural hair colour, and another with black dye.

All of this to say, she looks gorgeous, and every single guy of that stupid party is going to be on her. I mean, as strange as it sounds, she intimidates me. All that confidence I built up before Maryse almost caught us kissing is far gone. Especially since Clary never mentioned it again. I mean, we spent the whole day together in classes and all, and she never said a thing about our almost kiss. Usually, girls would be all over that. Clary just pretends that nothing happened, and it is unsettling.

Or maybe she is just resigned in us being friends. And if that's the case, she is sadly mistaking, because I am not.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Once at the party, Izzy obviously grabs Clary and pry her away from me, losing them in the crowd, claiming that they had a lot of men to make drool. Which doesn't go well with me? I mean, let's be honest, the two of them look fucking hot, and they don't need to try to be the centre of attention, to be the centre of attention. At this instant, I just hate every single man at this party.

Alec also disappears, his mouth sucked by some glitter cat with a nice ass (hey, I'm a guy), and so, I'm all alone, sitting by the alcohol and the perfect prey to all the vultures of this world. Any other time, I would have welcome the occasions and I would hunt like a fucking lion, but not tonight. Not when I have a certain redhead in my head.

So when there is a blue fairy with blue wings and a _very_ short skirt and top, making her way to me, I just roll my eyes and sigh. Especially when she gets close enough and I can recognise her piercing blue eyes thorough her blue mask. She sultrily smiles at me, putting her hands where they clearly shouldn't be, and I growl, not in the mood,

"Kaelie, I'm warning you. I'm not in the mood."

"But Jacey, you never came back yesterday. I thought it was because you were going to take it up to me, tonight. _All night long_," She whines in my ear before she starts kissing my neck, her hands still on my cock.

Let's be honest here if this had happened a week ago, and a certain redhead was not in the picture. I would have already given Kaelie two orgasms. Without even undressing her. In fact, it would have been perfect. Kaelie is not half bad in bed, and she gives a decent head. But at this right moment, just the feel of her hand on me makes me shudder.

Of course, she feels it, and stiffens, looking straight in my eyes as she accuses,

"Jace, this is not what we agreed!"

"I know we agreed on occasional sex and no feelings. You're the one who's clinging on me!"

"Clinging? I just want my part, you're the one who went all soft for I don't who! You know what, when you'll get tired of her, I'll be where I always am." And with that, she leaves.

As if I could ever get tired of Clary!

I start looking around, trying to find her in the overflowing crowd, and of course, she is easily spotted. basically, I just needed to look for the place with the most guys, and there she is, right at the centre. Many guys are trying to get a chance at her, and she is all letting them down politely, which I'm quite happy with. It would be a blow to watch her get chubby with one of those idiots.

As I'm making my way to her, a Captain Jack Sparrow tries to kiss her, but before I can even get close enough to punch him into next week, she jams the heel of her hand into his jaw and quickly knees him afterwards. Once the pirate is bending, she grabs his hair, and brings his face close to hers as she hisses,

"If you ever touch me again with your filthy little hands, I will rip your balls off, deep fry them, and make you eat them with some nice Sriracha sauce. Got it?"

Just as she finished her threatening words, she looks away from him, her hair swinging behind her, and she finds herself facing me. And you know what makes it all better, her face brightens up as soon her eyes settle on me. And man, what I wouldn't do to keep her face happy like that, especially after she looks at me.

She walks to me, ignoring the chaos she's leaving behind, and once she is close enough, she grabs my hand and leads me to one of the French windows. Once we're outside, she takes a deep breath of fresh air, and lets me know,

"I just couldn't stay inside, anymore1 it was suffocating." She starts to whirl all the while giggling before stopping and looking at the stars. yup, she's definitely tipsy.

"It's so sad. We have no stars in New York. Only a few planes passing by and making it seem like shooting stars." Her eyes are still up in the sky, before she giggles and start singing the chorus of B.O.B's song about Airplanes.

As she's still looking up, I take her hand in mine, and she doesn't object to it, nor try to remove her hand. So I tell her,

"You were totally right. I see why you said you didn't need any protection. It was quite impressive what you did back there!"

"Impressive?"

"To be fair, I never pegged you as a fighting kinda girl. You look more like you're into that whole peace and love concept."

She shrugs, looking at the horizon as she mutters, "I used to be all about that concept. But … people change, don't they …"

I'm not sure if she's actually talking to me or to herself, and the next part is definitely something I can't hear because she mumbles it to herself. I'm about to ask how does she think she changed when she clears her throat and complains,

"I never should have worn this costume. This isn't me."

"That's the whole point of Halloween. I'm pretty sure that you are not a psycho killer in love with a mad man."

She cocks her head to me, a playful smile on her lips, "Does that mean that you're not a sweet, nice and compassionate guy?"

"Since when is the Phantom anything like that?! He is not sweet or nice, and I highly doubt he has any ounce of compassion in him!"

"That's because you didn't try to read into his character. Or maybe you just know the Broadway version. I personally think that he has the purest soul. We're just all too blind to see it. I mean, he does everything for his one true love, and yet, he still ends up rejected at the end, because he looks ugly on the outside. Isn't it sad?"

Maybe that's what happens in the book, but not in the movie that Izzy has forced me to watch. But at this right moment, I don't really care about any of it. All I care is the fact that she tilted her head so it would rest on my shoulder, and I'm smiling like an idiot. Because it feels good. Because it feels normal. Because it feels _right_.

She starts humming a lullaby, and I take her in my arms and make us spin to the rhythm of her humming. I mean, we can still hear the muffled sound of the music from the inside, but all my senses are focused on her. On the sound of her voice, on the feel of her warm breath on my chest, on the strawberry smell of her hair, on the fact that she is willingly by my side, against me.

Slowly, she lifts her head so she can look at me, and I don't see a single trace of fear in her green eyes.

_This is it_. This is our perfect moment. I start to lean closer to her, and she closes her eyes with trust. I close mine, finally ready to get a taste of her lips, and … _her fucking phone buzzes between us_!

She snaps her eyes open, and just like that, the moment is gone. We were mere inches from one another, mere seconds from our first kiss, and once again, our moment was stolen by someone else interrupting us! I don't know how many more time I can take this! What is wrong with the world, and why doesn't it let us just be!"

The phone keeps on buzzing, and I clear my throat, taking a small step back as I tell her, "You should get that. it's starting to get annoying."

She clears her throw as well and extirpates her phone from her bra. Which explains why I felt the buzzing so intensely. Girls and their secret hideouts.

"Simon?" Her voice sounds anxious, and she takes a step away from me, growing as she demands to the other person on the phone, "Where are you?"

Another silence, and though she's wearing full makeup, I'm pretty sure she just got paler than she already is.

"How did you get there!?"

"…"

"Don't move! I'll come and get you! Don't you fucking move! And don't talk to anyone!"

As soon as she hangs up, with worry written all over her face, all traces of alcohol completely disappear from her face. She looks completely sober and determined, and without a single glance in my direction, she leaves. So I have no choice but to follow her, wherever she may be going.

She bolts brought the crowd and out of the party, completely ignoring the two times I call her for her to slow down. It's only when I manage to catch up to her, and force her to look at me that I see that she's crying, smudging her makeup and making her look even more like a Harley Quinn worthy of Nolan's Joker.

"Clary! Where are you going?"

"I have to go! Simon is lost downtown! He's lost and alone, and he's _downtown_! What if something happens to him?"

"What if something happens to _you_? You can't go there by yourself!"

"Watch me!" She says, glaring at me, before resuming her bolting through the streets of New York. And of course, I keep running after her, Maryse's words endlessly echoing in my mind as I keep thinking that she said that Clary came to the Institute to be safe. I mean, she even cornered me early during the day and asked me to make sure that we would all stay at the party and not leave it for any reason. Basically, I am a dead man.

Clary seems to know exactly where she's going, not even hesitating as the neighbourhood around us starts getting more and more sinister. The only times she slowed down was to check the name of a street, making me uncomfortable at how comfortable she was going in this part of town even drug dealers avoided. And finally, she stops, though I don't like one bit where to.

_Hotel Dumort_! It's an old abandoned hotel mostly used by meth dealers as a headquarter now. How in the world does sweet little Clary know of this place?

She moves, ready to get in, but I stop her. "You can't go in there!"

"ii know where we are, Jace. I didn't ask you to follow me. I have to go and help him. _I have to_!"

"But Clary …"

"I know what I'm doing, Jace."

And without further ado, she gets in the dilapidated hotel. I follow her, a feeling of unease growing in me. I mean, I've already dealt with meth junkies, and it's not a pretty sight. They can actually be quite dangerous in all honesty. Many druggies are laying on the floor, dressed in various things, but Clary doesn't seem to care. She just keeps on walking, turning every now and then, as if she knew exactly where she is going.

And suddenly, a guy appears in front of us, smirking as he eyes Clary from head to toe.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. You changed since the last time I've seen you, Clary. What happened to your flower dresses, and your sweet innocent face?"

I can't help but look at Clary, being beyond shocked that she's in first name basis with someone from such a place. Especially when that someone looks like he is a _drug dealer_. And the looks on her face is … scary. She's fulminating.

"It's Halloween, Raphael. Surely you've noticed. Or maybe you dress as a vampire every fucking day?"

"Language, Clary. I know some people who wouldn't be happy to hear you talking with such a foul mouth. Not to see you in this place … without them."

She ignores him, looking around as she retorts, "Where's is Simon?"

"I don't know who you're talking about."

In the blink of an eye, Clary screams and lunches herself at him, and I barely have time to stop her before she hits him. Not that I really care if she hurts him, but I think his two gorillas (yup, they're literally disguised as such) wouldn't appreciate that.

"You better listen to that new _boyfriend_ of yours. Tell me, what happened to the old one? Did you leave him because things got too … _spicy_?"

"Shut up, Raphael," She said in barely a murmur that was full of pain and sorrow. "Let me just bring Simon home."

"Simon is here because he _wants_ to be here. As per usual. I never force anyone into anything. Unlike some people you and I know."

"_Liar_! Simon was clean before the party. He's been clean for months, until your ridiculous fanged face drugged him! _I'll kill you_!"

As soon as she says the words, she stomps on my foot, making me realise her of surprise and she jumps on that Raphael guy, kicking him all she can. She punches him in the nose, breaking it in the process, she knees him, she scratches his face. Finally, I manage to get back to her and tear her away from him.

But as soon as I try to pull her away, the gorillas are n me, and Raphael grabs Clary, pinning her on the floor. She brings her head up to head but him, and before he can say anything, frees her left hand and grabs him by the elbow, seething, "I know your dirty little secrets too, Raphael. Bring me to Simon and I'll release the pressure!"

For a moment, they simply glare at one another, but when Clary presses harder, he hisses in pain and concedes to her demand. She straightens up, and all of a sudden, I am free. I run to her, taking her in my arms, even though I feel quite useless at the moment. In fact, this is the most useless I have ever felt.

We follow Raphael to one of the rooms upstairs, and in a split second, Clary is on her knees next to Simon, even though there are many rats (dead and alive) all around him. He is dressed as Nightwing, Batman's first sidekick. But his mask is off, and he is crying, rocking on himself.

As soon as Clary caresses his cheek, he looks at her, and says, "Clary, I swear I —"

She shushes him, and takes her in her arms, rocking him like a baby as his head rests against her breasts. "Shhh, it's alright. I'll get you home."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

As I'm waiting for Clary down Simon's building, I keep remembering the events of the evening. And still, I can't get my mind around the fact that Clary knows so well this world. I can't believe that she knows this world so well that she is in first name basis with a meth dealer. I mean, sure, it explains why she wants scared of going in Dumort, and why she was so confident on her ability to defend herself.

But …. This seems so _not_ Clary.

I mean, it looks that every time I look at her, there is a new facet of her I'm discovering. The Clary everyone knows is sweet, reserved and a little badass. The Clary I know, or at least knew, is loving, independent and haunted by her past. The Clary I just saw tonight is brave, scary and fearless. But you know what, the combination of the three makes it _my_ Clary.

I pass my hand into my hair, trying not to overthink her reaction when that Raphael guy mentioned her dark past. But I can't help but feel intrigued. How come a meth dealer know her so well? How come he knew all about her past?

She tears me out of my thoughts by reappearing in front of me, and she looks surprised to see me,

"I thought you'd have gone back to the Institute."

"And let you go back alone? No fucking way!"

"I'm a big girl. I would have my way," She says, before squatting and taking her head between her hands. I crouch to be at her level, resting my hand on her shoulder as I ask,

"Clary? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just extremely exhausted. I just want to pass out."

"Let's grab a cab and go home."

She nods and stands up as I hail for a yellow car. Once inside, she closes her eyes and falls asleep against my shoulder. Not that I mind. I take her hand in mine, wondering how can this tiny piece of a woman be so strong. She risks her life with a second thought to go help her friend. Not even a single time she hesitated on going to his rescue.

Once we're back in the Institute, I take her in my arms and carry her to her room. For a moment, I hesitate, but I take her to her bed. I mean, I wouldn't mind sleeping with her, just sleeping. But I don't want her to think I've taken advantage of her. So I lay her in her bed and remove her shoes before tucking her in, even though she's still in full clothes and makeup.

Then I leave using the door that links to the bathroom we share, and I take a shower before going to my own bed and let sleep take over me.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

I wake up to the feeling of someone laying next to me, and when I sleepily turn my head, I see Clary. Her makeup is all damaged due to the crying, the running, the fighting and the sleeping, but she still has her outfit on. Her eyes are closed, so I do the same, still sleepy but smiling like an idiot that she came to sleep next to me instead of staying alone in her bed.

But soon, I feel her lips on mine. I snap my eyes open, but she loses her fingers in my hair and kisses me passionately. So I close back my eyes and appreciate the feeling of her lips on mine. I am trying to keep it chaste and innocent, but she's having none of it, and her tongue is begging for entrance in my mouth.

I happily let her in, feeling myself get harder and harder, and when I can't take it anymore, I flip us so I am on top of her. My lips leave hers, tracing kisses to her neck, and when I start sucking, she loudly moans in my ear. And her moan alone sends shivers all over my body. My hands are all over her body, feverishly undoing the lace of her corset and she arches herself, planting her nails in my biceps

And of course, I growl at the feeling. When her corset is finally off of her, I throw it, someone, in the room. I can feel her breath quicken as she claims my lips back, and I do my best to not lose control of my body. I mean, her hand is literally in my pants, palming my cock, and making me see stars much easier than I should.

I grab her hand, knowing that this will never go as far as we want if she keeps going, and quickly I remove her bicolour tank-top before getting rid of her offending bra and popping one of her boob in my mouth. She moans, throwing her head back as I massage her other boob, and suddenly, she rolls us so she is on top of me, both our trousers disregarded.

I am so hard that it could almost be painful, but she impales herself on me, moaning of pleasure as I enter her filling her completely. One of my hand goes to her hair, whilst the other takes care of her clit, and I help her go back and forth on my dick. I suck on her neck, sure that I will leave a hickey, and then look at her, ready to kiss her again.

But her green emerald look confusedly at me, and I realise what has been happening as she shyly says,

"Jace?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, finally, I updated. I am taking advantage of the lockdown to go back to some pics I have forgotten. So if there is an OLD OLD one you want an update on, go review there, So I get the hint. Haha. **

💚 **I just want to say once again that, for those who don't remember the story, the set up is a bit longer than usual because it was my first fit and I didn't really know how to properly start. But all the things mentioned in those early chapters will matter in the end. I was still a newbie as well, and I was trying to put easter eggs about the original as well. Did you spot them?**

💚** Do you know who Raphael was talking about?**

💚** And I won't lie, I like a Clary that kicked ass. hihi. **

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	9. Chapter 9

💚 **Another Chance **💚

**Chapter 9 (3,0K)**

When I wake up, my head is pounding, and my first thought is literally, '_I am never drinking again_!', no matter how cliche that sounds. I keep my eyes closed, trying to fall back to sleep when I realise that there is something off. I can feel someone's breath on my neck, which makes me snap my eyes open.

As my eyes get used to my surroundings, I understand that I am not in my room, even though the infrastructure still looks like something from the Institute. I turn my head and see that the breath belongs to Jace. He has his arms around me, holding me tight against him, and making me feel how _nice_ the dream he is having must be.

I gently try to wake him up, mostly because I can't even move a muscle because of his tight grip on me. well, I can, but that means I will end up on the floor. "Jace?"

He snaps his eyes open and looks at me with surprise before horror strikes his face. I don't even have the opportunity to say a single word that he bolts to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him, and leaving me alone, like an idiot. And I feel … down. I try to suppress my tears and get up, doing my best to ignore this obvious rejection. I go back to my room, using the corridor, but once there, I can hear groans coming from the bathroom, which is just the worst.

I mean, I get that he had a wet dream, but there is no need to storm away from me as if I were the ugliest person in the world. With a huff, I grab my towel and go knock on Izzy's room. She opens the door, looking as perfect as usual. How can she be looking so fresh after the crazy night of yesterday night? But then again, she stayed at the party and didn't have to go to a meth dealer's den. Oh right, Simon … I have some killing to do, today.

"Hey, Clary? How are you doing? You disappeared yesterday night."

"Yeah. I … can I use your shower? Jace is … um, currently using ours."

"Oh," She narrows her eyes toward Jace's door, before moving to the side and inviting me in. "Don't worry about Alec bursting in. He stayed there for the night."

"Oh, he found someone?"

She shrugs, not committing herself into the conversation, and I go in her bathroom. Though now, I finally understand why Jace always says I'm not a girl. _This isn't a bathroom, it's a perfume shop_! There are so many shampoos and lotions, and who knows what else. I mean, I can't even find any product that Alec might actually be using.

I hop in the shower, the thought of what happened this morning still vivid in my mind. I never thought that someone I barely know could hurt me like that. He let go of me as if I was some repulsive and disgusting spider. I don't know, I thought that after everything that had happened last night, there was a sort of something between us. But I am obviously wrong.

I mean … I would love to not be wrong. I would've to … I don't know … I just know it was nice to dance in his arms yesterday, and that it was also nice to have him look at me the way he did. Of course, this is history, and it won't happen again, given the way he reacted this morning.

And first of all, what was I doing in his bed? I mean, I'm pretty sure he carried me back to my bed when we came back yesterday night. Let me think, there was the party, the jerk, the dance, Jace touching me as if he never wanted to let me go, the way we almost kissed, Simon, Raphael, bringing Simon home and dealing with his sister, Jace waiting for me and us getting in the cab.

And when the cab got back to the Institute, I was just too tired to move, so Jace carried me to bed, removed my shoes and left through the bathroom door. He acted like the perfect gentleman. So how did I end up in his bed? And that's when I realise what happened, so of course, I whimper and slightly bang my head against the wall.

I step out of the shower, wrapping a towel around me, and I have to admit that I feel completely humiliated and pitiful. Why did my stupid ass go to Jace's bed? Really, it's like I'm looking for embarrassment.

I'm in the middle of putting my clothes on when I hear someone banging at Izzy's door. "Have you seen Clary?" I hear Jace ask.

I can hear Izzy trying to argue my case, but since I am pretty sure Jace won't listen to her, I make my escape through Alec's from since he is sharing a bathroom with Izzy. And thank God I had the good thinking of finishing to get dressed because right now I am face to face to a shirtless Alec covered with glitter. didn't Izzy just say that he was still out?

I hear Jace's voice in the bathroom, and silently implore Alec against all hope that he remains silent. I just don't want to face Jace yet, not after that embarrassing awakening. And anyway, I have to go see Simon first. Alec doesn't say a word, and takes a step toward me, putting his hand on the handle that leads to the bathroom.

I frantically shake my head, and he just puts his finger on his lips, before signifying to step aside. I do so and watch him slightly open the door, staying in the doorframe so no one can see in his room.

"What is all this racket about? Couldn't find your conditioner?" Alec nonchalantly asks with a smirk that I can hear, even though I can't see it.

"Have you seen Clary?

"Nope. Where did you last see her? Maybe you should start there."

"Yeah, of course. Because Clary is obviously a lost item. Very funny, Alec. You'll be happy to hear that she had the ability to disappear into thin air. She's nowhere to be seen."

"Well, maybe she left to get some fresh air. Or maybe she just doesn't want to speak to you. Not everyone has to be all about you, Jace."

A small silence grows, and I see Alec hold the door a bit tighter and plant his position as if preparing for a charge from Jace. I'm ready to escape yet again, when Jace lets out a long sigh, "Well if you _see_ Clary, _tell_ her that I am _really sorry_ for what happened this morning. And … it's not her fault."

Okay … well, now, it's obvious that the whole wide world knows that I'm in Alec's bedroom, and I am literally mortified. Alec shrugs and closes the door. I look everywhere but in his direction, even though I am very well aware that his blue eyes are burning holes into my soul at this very moment. I just want to disappear into the ground.

"Well, I guess I don't have to repeat all of this awkward conversation, right?"

I nod, all too happy that he's willing to let it go and not deepen my embarrassment.

"Can I ask you something, though?" He asks, and I look at him, curious of what the favour could be.

"Don't play with my brother's heart. It is fragile and doesn't show up that often for me to let you step on it as you wish."

"I —"

"I am sure that you had your reasons for hiding from Jace right now. But if you're not interested, don't lead him on. That's all I ask."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

After gathering my school bag, and some change for the night, I'm off to Simon's, ready to lecture him like he's never been lectured before. As soon as I'm at his place, I barge into his room, draw open the curtains, making him shriek and hide behind his covers, cursing at the sun.

"Simon! Get up, _right now_! We have to talk!"

He begrudgingly gets up, though for a moment, he just looks into the empty space. then, he just his glasses on his nose, and I see shame colouring his face as he does his best to avoid my gaze. I know he feels bad for last night, nut I can't afford to be compassionate. I already lost him once to this world, I am certainly not going to lose him again.

So I sternly wait for him to gather the courage to look at me in the eyes, and when he does, opening his mouth, I slap him hard (I should really stop slapping people around, and I will, as soon as people stop acting stupid).

"I don't want to hear your stupid apologies!"

"But Clary —"

"I am not having it, Simon! Whats' wrong with you? What's fucking wrong with you? Do you know how worried I was? And what would have happened if it was your Mom who answered the door yesterday night, instead of your sister? You know that I had to deal with _Raphael_! _Raphael_ of all people! To save _your_ ass! You have to stop that Simon! NOW!"

"I did Clary, I swear I did."

"Oh, so why were you there then? To have a nice cup of tea and have a nice chat about good old times?"

"It's just that …" He starts stuttering, and I roll my eyes, doing my best to refrain my anger as I cut him off,

"I swear to God that if you lie to me, I'll kill you!"

"I ran into him at the party, and ... One thing led to another, and before I knew it I was back at Dumort, calling you."

I can literally feel how bad he's feeling right now, about himself, about the whole situation. And I know it's not his fault. I mean, if we have to find a guilty party here, I would pinpoint Raphael. Because it is Raphael who made him try in the first place. But still, I am angry at Simon.

We already had this conversation time and time again. He says he's going to stop, he swears it won't happen again, and next thing I know, I have to pluck him out of the gutter. I sit down on the floor, hiding my face in my hands, and I let him know,

"Simon, you really need to stop it! I can't keep coming and saving you! Not right now. Not now that my life turned out to be so …"

"I know Clary, I _really_ am sorry. I know how this must have felt like going back there with Raphael and …"

"No, he wasn't there." I look up to my best friend. "Simon, you really need to stop, if you need help talk to Becky, she'll understand." He frowns.

"No, she won't."

"She's your sister, of course, she will."

"I'll see into it. I'll take a shower now."

I let him go and clean himself, and use the occasion to switch on his Playstation to play _Injustice: Gods Among Us_. Whilst waiting for him to get back, I play with my favourite character, kicking ass as I usually do. Simon hates that I'm so much better than him at this game. And when he comes back, all fresh, he narrows his eyes at the TV, before grabbing a remote and picking Nightwing so we can fight each other.

"So, Harley, uh?"

"I always pick Harley. What's your point?"

"I was talking about your outfit from yesterday night …"

"Oh … that. Izzy forced me into it," I confess, all the while killing his character in a perfect attack. I smugly smirk as the cinematic plays out, and remind him, "Don't mess with Harley, she will always have the last word."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. So, you said that Izzy girl forced you into that costume? I definitely need to spend more time with her. I sure could learn a few tricks from her."

"Well, if you weren't so reluctant to come to the Institute, you could have come to have dinner with us, once in a while."

"Yup, I'll pass on this one."

I roll my eyes, charging a new party as I point out something else, "And anyway, aren't you hanging out with that Maia chick?"

"ii am not going to talk to you about her!"

"Why not?"

"Because … because it's not how you're supposed to react."

"And how am I supposed to react?"

He shrugs, not committing to the conversation, and when I kill him once again, he mutters that he'll go and grab us food. I shake my head, thinking that sometimes sims can get so moody, and I get my phone to check my messages.

** Clary, where are you? ~ Izzy **

** Forget Jace's stupid face, and talk to me. Please. ~ Izzy**

** Claryyyyyyyyy! I hope that whatever happened between my brother and you will stay between my brother and you. Hope that we're still friends. ~ Izzy**

I check on the timed realise with horror that she sent the last text two hours ago. She must think I hate her.

** Don't worry Izzy, of course, we're still friends. It's just that I REALLY needed to talk to Simon. ~ Clary **

** Cool! Because I was giving a really hard time to Jace. So what happened anyway. ~ Izzy**

** I don't see what you mean Izzy. ~ Clary **

Sure, with the rackets of this morning, she is going to swallow that it was just nothing. But now that I think about it, it was really nothing, just me overreacting to a teenage boy acting like a teenage boy.

** Clary, Jace never, NEVER apologises to anyone. NEVER. ~ Izzy**

** Well, he must have drunk too much yesterday night because I didn't know what it was all about. ~ Clary **

** Sure. I'm not buying it! Anyway, when are you coming back? ~ Izzy**

** Why? ~ Clary **

**Jace says that you have some homework together in music. ~ Izzy**

Damn it! I forgot all about that lyric writing! But there is no way that I'll go back to the Institute to be stuck for I don't know how long with Jace! Not now. I still need to think about it.

** Um, I don't think I'll sleep at Simon's tonight. Tell him I'll figure something by tomorrow morning. ~ Clary **

** Ooooh, you're not coming back? ~ Izzy**

** Nope. ~ Clary **

** But what about me getting you ready for school? ~ Izzy**

** I'm big girl, I'm sure I'll manage. ~ Clary **

** Okay, but you owe me! You've ditched me twice! ~ Izzy**

** Promise, next time, I'll let you pamper and doll me up as you wish. Just no dresses and stuff. Please. ~ Clary **

** Youpiiiiiiii! Well, see you tomorrow ~ Izzy**

I put down my phone knowing that I've just sold my soul to the Devil. The Devil of fashion! After all, books are right and the Devil does wear Prada. Its name is Isabelle Lightwood. But in all fairness, it is so hard to say no to Izzy, without feeling extremely guilty, somehow.

Simon comes back with a tray of veggies, guac and hummus, and it makes me realise that I was starving. We keep on playing for an hour or two, all the while eating the food, and after a while, we decide to be reasonable and do our homework.

We silently do our respective maths and literature homework, but when I get to my art project, I get stuck. I mean, I know who I want to draw, but I also know that I won't be able to catch his eyes properly. And it is frustrating. Still, I start to draw, leaving a blank space where his face is supposed to be.

It is almost an exact replicate of my last drawing of him, instead that, instead of him reaching out for something, he is now holding a girl against his chest, shielding his tattoos from the world. The girl has her head resting against his chest, and we can only see her red hair and a tattoo on her wrist.

Okay, I admit it. The girl is me. It is me being in Jace's naked arms, even though he is faceless. _Whyyy_? (Note the desperate tone again. I should really stop obsessing over Jace.)

"What is _that_?"

"Nothing," I quickly blurt out, closing my artbook as is my life depends on it. Which is ridiculous. Simon knows better than to look at what I want to keep for myself. I swiftly put all y stuff back in my bag, under Simon's scrutinising eyes.

"Was that a _tattoo_?"

Well, I guess I'm busted now. I lasted, all in all, two days. That's a new record at how bad one can be to keep secrets. I just nod, not getting myself involved in the conversation, and Simon understands that I don't want to talk about it. So he sighs and throws me the pyjamas I have at his place.

I grab them, thinking that I should really get new ones. Those are short, pink and with unicorns on them. I once had terrible taste, don't blame me for it.

"Tomorrow, I'm going back to my mom's for the week since we have a small break. Do you want to come over for a movie marathon?"

"Cool. What time?"

"8 pm. Is that good for you?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When I hop on my bike the next morning, I know that it is way too early and I'll get to the Institute way before time, but I just want to enjoy the ride there. I couldn't yesterday because I was sick with worry for Simon, and the whole week before that, there was no point in me taking the bike.

As I get to the school, I decide to go straight to class, even though I still have _45 minutes_ before it starts. But last second, I decide to go to the art classroom to see if I'll get inspired there. On my way, I hear noise coming from the music class, and there is seating Jace, playing with the white and black keys.

Without even thinking about it, I take my sketchpad out of my bag and hurry to finally capture this expression I've been longing for.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, finally, I updated. I am taking advantage of the lockdown to go back to some fics I have forgotten. So if there is an OLD OLD one you want an update on, go review there, So I get the hint. Haha. **

💚 **I just want to say once again that, for those who don't remember the story, the set up is a bit longer than usual because it was my first fit and I didn't really know how to properly start. But all the things mentioned in those early chapters will matter in the end. I was still a newbie as well, and I was trying to put easter eggs about the original as well. Did you spot them?**

💚** What do you think of Simon?**

💚** And what do you think about Clary? And Jace?**

💚** And Alec spent the night out and came back with glitter … interesting … **

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	10. Chapter 10

💚 **Another Chance **💚

**Chapter 10 (3,2K)**

I've been so eager to get to class than before this morning. As soon as I am ready, I am off, leaving my siblings behind, especially because I am not in the mood to hear Izzy rant on and on about everything I am doing wrong with Clary. So here I am, in the music class, sitting at the piano and I hesitate for a moment. I am not sure what I can play.

But before I can come up with something complicated, I just go with the flow, all my thoughts on the redhead that took over my mind. I mean, today, she cant try to disappear, we have class, and we share most of them. So whether she wants it or not, we are going to have this talk and lay our cards to the table. All I know, it that, whatever there is between us, I can't ignore it any longer.

And yes, sure, she woke up in my arms whilst I was having a very ... _vivid dream_, but I was dreaming about her. I just can't get her out of my head. And since yesterday morning, what I can't get out of my head is the way she looked at me when I opened my eyes. For a fraction of a second, her beautiful green eyes were filled with fear, curiousness and embarrassment. And then, she refused to talk to me and sewed refuge with _Alec_, of all people.

It was just awful. And of course, because Izzy likes making a big deal out of little things, she had to make a whole ordeal over the fact that Clary was staying at Simon's for the night, and that it was all my fault. As if I wouldn't have rather her staying with us, instead of with that junkie.

In fact, just thinking about it makes me angry, and wish I could punch his stupid drugged up face! With frustration, I growl and hit the keys a bit too harshly, until I am interrupted by this voice I have come to miss,

"What did that piano ever do to you? It's like you've lost your one and only love."

I smile with satisfaction at the fact that she is here, by my side, and look up, thinking that maybe she is right. My eyes find her sitting on the floor, her sketchpad on her knees and a pencil in her hands, and I try not to be smug at the idea that she was just inspired by me.

"For your information, my one and only love remain myself."

"Good plan. Like that, you don't have to worry about rejection

"Oh, I do turn myself down from time to time. Just to keep it interesting."

She chuckles and rolls her eyes before getting up, and I see that she doesn't seem to be embarrassed by my presence anymore. I rejoice at the idea and get off the bench so I can walk to her. And since she is recoiling, and in fact, she is smiling at me, I try to apologise one more time about what happened yesterday night, but she just shakes her head and waves her hand,

"Don't worry about it. It's been a rough week for all of us."

"Well, is I don't have to worry about it, why did you run away yesterday, then?"

"I didn't ... _runaway_. I just needed to take care of Simon," She retorts, and as I give her a look, clearly doubting her words, she smiles one more time, silently telling me to drop it and leave this behind us.

So I sigh, and we both make our way to our first class. But halfway there, I decide to put my hand over her shoulder, and though she briefly stiffens, she doesn't try to move away either. We get in the classroom as the bell rings, and of course, all eyes are on us. It's like they don't have a life or something. Some people even Strat gossiping, not even trying to be discreet about it, and I can tell that Clary isn't very comfortable with that.

We sit at our usual spot, and she takes a piece of paper out of her bag to give it to me. I look at it, frowning, and realise that she wrote the lyrics we were supposed to work on for our music class. I read it through, before turning my head to her, and whisper (because we're in the middle of a class, you know)

"You do realise that the assignment was to write something happy and cheerful, right?"

She smiles, her green eyes looking at me as if I were a retard as she points the title. 'Utopia' ... more like dystopia.

"But I don't think there is any —"

"The lyrics themselves are all about hope. Or I thought it was clear, isn't it?"

"Well, I don't know. How come this last line is about hope?"

She chuckles, admitting that this one line might be, indeed, going against all her ideals of hope, "Okay, maybe not this line. But the rest of the lyrics are ... I can try to come up with something else if you want."

I shake my head, happy with the lyrics. I'm just curious about how she can write something so depressing and think that it is all happy and cheerful. But I don't think the teach' will mind, and the lyrics are cool.

**.~°~. .~°~. ****.~°~****.**

All-day long, I try to distract myself from her. I mean, when you come to think of it, it's not healthy to think so much about someone. But every time I've tried to get her out of my head, it's been a failure. And to top it all, I haven't seen Izzy of all day, and Alec seems to have gained this superpower of disappearing into thin air every time the bell rings.

So all I did, was waiting for the end of the day, so we could be in music class together, and then, afterwards, we would be able to spend some time together. As usual, my attention span for what's happening in class is very limited, and I just scribble on my notes.

I keep thinking of that piece of paper lace gave me a few days ago, all crumpled. It is a drawing that Clary had obviously made, and obviously disregarded to the bin. The drawing is of me, except I have angel wings, long fluffy white wings, with shades of gold every now and then. Yup, Clary drew me like a freaking angel. And I would jump through the roof if it wasn't for my eyes completely scratched with a pen. That's probably why she threw the drawing in the bin in the first place.

So anyway, as soon as the bell rings, I hurry to go pick her up at her Arts class, doing my best to ignore that this is so not like me, and Alec smirks at me as he leaves the class,

"Seriously? Stalker much?"

I shrug, glancing inside only to see her talking with the professor. "We do have a class together right now. You do know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course. We all know how passionate you are about your curriculum. But anyway, you were the talk of the class, today." I give him a questioning look, and he shrugs as he says,

"Clary's drawing was really ... _insightful_."

"What do you mean?"

"You do know that you don't have to come to pick me up, Jace. I can find my way. I'm a big girl," Clary brightly says, unknowingly cutting my conversation short with Alec, and he just smirks and walks away.

I decide that I'll ask him later, and just put my arm around Clary's shoulder so we can get to our music class. I don't really care how it looks to the others, I like the feeling of having her in my arms. This feeling is too fucking good to let it pass under my nose.

Once in music class, Mrs Herondale makes us do our usual routine, warmups, clapping, vocalisations, and then, she calls people on stage so they can sing their songs. When she calls us, we go on stage, and I take the guitar from the class since we managed to find a melody over lunch with Clary.

(**AN**: **bold is Jace**, _italic is Clary_, **_bold and italic is both_**.)

The melody is Utopia, by Within Temptation

_The very same wish_

_In all of our hearts_

_Is getting older_

_And became fantasy_

_You want to be strong_

_But you don't understand_

_All my hidden tears_

_And my whispered screams_

**All my coloured dreams became all nightmares**

**And my black nightmares framed my hell**

**And from my hell, I'm going under**

**Under into nothingness**

**_Why can't we have, see, feel a bit of Utopia_**

**_Why do we have to be our own Nemesis_**

**_Why can't we have, see, feel a bit of Utopia_**

**_Why do we have to be our own Nemesis_**

_I'm surrounded_

_By too much surrender_

**The one you've created**

**And the one you don't see**

**_You want to be strong_**

**_But you don't understand_**

**_All my hidden tears_**

**_And my whispered screams_**

**_All my coloured dreams became all nightmares_**

**_And my black nightmares framed my hell_**

**_And from my hell, I'm going under_**

**_Under into nothingness_**

**_Why can't we have, see, feel a bit of Utopia_**

**_Why do we have to be our own Nemesis_**

**_Why can't we have, see, feel a bit of Utopia_**

**_Why do we have to be our own Nemesis_**

**_Utopia is dead_**

Once the song is over, we just go back to our seats under the applause of the rest of the class, and just listen to the next duo do their own songs. In the middle of class, Clary leans in so she can whisper,

"Would you do me a favour?"

"Depends."

"I'd like to fix a few things on my bike before being banned from the auto shop for two weeks."

"_Banned_? Whos banning you?"

"No one. I'm just going home tonight. For the two weeks break."

"You're going home, _tonight_?"

"Well, yes. Why?"

"I wanted to show you something ..."

"Well, I'm here. Show it to me now," she confidently says, sparkles twinkling in her green eyes. And to be honest, I have to fight every instinct I have to not kiss her right here, right now. But we're still in class, and somehow, I think she won't appreciate being kissed in front of all our classmate, plus Mrs Herondale.

"I can't show it to you _now_. It has to be tonight. I'll drop you off at your place, and you can pick your bike later in the week if you want."

She nods, and I discreetly give her the keys to the auto shop. Once the class is over, she goes on her merry way, and I do the same, glancing briefly at the sky, and cursing the clouds in the horizon as I head to the rooftop.

**.~°~. .~°~. ****.~°~****.**

"A picnic? _That's_ what you wanted to show me?" She chuckles, jerking her head back doing so. But I don't really linger on that, my mind is more focus on the fact that Izzy definitely got to play Babie with her, because she wasn't wearing that white blouse, of those white skinny jeans in music earlier. I would remember that!

"No. It's just that we have to wait for sundown, and I thought we could eat," I explain, looking at the picnic that I had prepared all on my own whilst she was pampering her baby.

"Sundown? _And_ a picnic? Can you be any more cliché?"

"Apparently not," I say, but I don't lose my smile. And since she's smiling back, I gather that her sarcastic remarks are just here to hide the fact that she loves this.

So we both sit down, saying nothing and watching each other. I'm pretty sure we're both waiting for the other to make the first move, but none of us does, until she tears her gaze away and clears her throat,

"So ... what do we do waiting for this sundown? Shall we play Scrabble?"

"We could ... talk," I propose, and she narrows her eyes at me, before bringing her knees to her chest, and resting her chin on her knees.

"Jace ... I don't want to talk about yesterday morning.

"Too bad, I want to talk about it!"

"Jace..."

"Clary, how do you think I felt? This was as awkward for me as it was for me!" She laughs in derision and disbelief.

"You're telling me that you never woke up next to a total stranger?" Okay, she got me on this one but still, how can she think ...

"You really think that I'm a total stranger to you?" She bites her lips before watching me in the eyes.

"Well, I do know you for just 5 days. And even though it feels like so much more, I don't know a thing about you. So yes, in a way, you _are_ a stranger to me."

"Well, let's just change that. What do you want to know?"

"Why? Why is this so important to you?"

To be honest, I don't know. I don't know what I think of her every waking moment. I don't know why she has such a hold on me, even though, as she said, we barely know each other. I just know that I want more of her.

"Because ... Because... Because we live together, and you can't keep avoiding me every time we meet."

Okay, that's not the whole truth. But come on! It's not like I am the kind of guy that will say what he has on his heart right on the first date. I mean ... is that even a date?

"How about one question each?" I propose, and she frowns for a moment before nodding.

"So I guess I go first? ... Why is your last name Wayland?" Of all the questions that I inspire her, she has to ask _this_ one. I sigh before passing my hand in my hair and answering plain and simply,

"I was adopted by Robert and Maryse when I turned 10 because my parents died as well as my godfather. Don't get me wrong I love the Lightwoods as my own family. Izzy, Alec and Max are the best things that ever happened to me. And no, I don't recall a thing about my parents. My mom apparently died from childbirth, and my dad died when I was one in a car crash. My godfather was lost at sea, and after six months, they declared him dead, which sent me here to the Lightwoods, who were close friends to my father."

I looked at her the whole time, waiting for pity to fill her eyes, but it never does. She just looks full of comprehension, empathy and understanding. Though I can see more questions arising in her eyes.

"My turn... How come you're in first name bases with drug dealers?"

"Raphael is not a drug dealer, he's just a punk seeing things bigger than he should."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"I don't know where to start. Simon lost his Dad last year and was in a really bad and dark place, and we were introduced to the wrong people I guess. And Simon fell really deep, so I guess with having to get him out of the gutter every now and then, I got closer than I wished to the wrong kind of people."

"Wait '_we were introduced_'? You did drugs?"

"No! I stayed clean, but I ... had ... something to hold on to, or so I thought."

_Come on_! _WHY_?! Why is unveiling her past bringing so many more questions than answers? I mean, it's obvious that there is something that she is not telling me here, and I'm pretty sure it's an ex-boyfriend.

I just shake my head, ignoring that I don't really like thinking of her ex-boyfriend. With a clear of my throat, I get up and show my hand to her, so she can do the same. and without a word, I tell her to look over the roof, at the billions of lights illuminating the city, giving us the impression to float on the lights, that the city is drowning in endless dimming light.

But let's be honest, I'm not looking at the city. I'm looking at _her_. She is just ... so _beautiful_ at this precise moment. Her eyes are sparkling with delight, her mouth is half-open, letting out small fast breaths, her breast is quickly going up and down, and her right-hand keeps on moving in the air, as if she's unconsciously trying to draw what she's seeing. She licks her lips and leans even further, trying to take the view from a better angle.

And I am so happy and relieved that she likes it. The first time that I ever came up here, I was so blown away by what I saw that I wanted to share it with the world, but Izzy and Alec didn't share my admiration for this view.

"Jace this is so ... so ..."

"Don't try to describe it, you'll only kill it."

She smiles and I take her hand in mine. She keeps her gaze on the city, doing her best to get her fill of the views, and when she tries to lean even further, I just pull her back, not wanting her to fall. She brusquely turns, making me kiss her forehead, and as soon as my lips touch her skin, she becomes stiff.

But I don't move away. I just kiss my way down. She closes her eyes, and my lips brush her eyelashes, her freckled nose and finally, _finally_, her full pink lips. At the very moment when our lips connect, she jumps on my throat, her fingers tangling in my hair, and her body pressed against mine.

For a moment, I hesitate, testing the moment and making sure it is real, and that's when the rain starts to fall on us. She just clings to me a little tighter and I move my hands to cup her face as I ask with my tongue to enter her mouth. She gladly complies, and our tongue battle for dominance whilst her hand are still in my hair and her body is still crushed against mine.

One of my hand let go of her face to rest on her smaller back and bring her even closer to me if that's possible. I just ... I want her to make one with me. And the fact that she's kissing me with as much passion as I'm kissing her, it's just ... Her breath is in mine, her skin is against mine, her heart is beating with mine. This is heaven.

When we break the kiss (all too soon if you ask me), we are both panting, my forehead resting on hers. I caress her cheek, which makes her smile, and I tell her,

"Well, I should bring you here more often."

"Definitely!"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** We finally had, the kiss! Finally! Hallelujah! Haha. No interruption, nothing but sweet Clace. What did you think of it?**

💚** And what do you think about Clary? And Jace?**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚‼️💚** The updates of the week are **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (daily)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 4)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 10)**

**\- Tainted Love, TMI story (chap 9)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 11)**

**\- The Consequences of a One-Nightstand, TMI story (chap)**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	11. Chapter 11

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, I was not supposed to write this right now. But it's been almost three hours that this helicopter in circling my neighbourhood, preventing me from some good sleep. It is 3 am here, and I am writing because I can't sleep. So don't sue me, it is what it is.**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 11 (3,1)**

Oh my God! I can't believe that this just happened! I thought that this part of me had left once I got broken. But apparently, Jace has been able to rise in me a fiery and wildfire that I didn't even know still existed. _We kissed_! Somehow, his lips ended up on mines, and we ended up kissing.

For a moment, there were no longer any Mae beliefs, half-truths, awkward moment. It was just us, at the moment. In _this_ moment. Just my lips on his, yearning for more, crushing him so we could be closer. It's like … I was trying to swallow this part of him and make it mine. I just … I don't know. I felt _alive. _With his touch, coursing fire through every single part of my body and making me all too aware of him, of the fact that I've been longing for this to happen ever since I first saw him.

And of course, we broke the kiss (too soon if you ask me), and now Jace is walking me home. I could have taken my bike, or accepted Jace's offer to drive me home, but I guess, without us saying so, we were trying to cheat the moment, and stay a bit longer together. And as my hand is safely secured in Jace's warm one, I realise that this is something new. Ever since I've learned to drive with Jordan, I never gave up the opportunity to ride my baby. For anything or anyone. I can feel my heartbeat a little too fast as I realise that I actually _might_ like Jace more than I should.

We don't say much on our way back to my place, just holding hands and walking under the soft rain, and when we arrive at my building, comes the awkward moment when it falls on me to take it a bit further. Do I invite him in, or not? I mean, Mom is probably already in, yearning for us to talk all about mu week at the Institute. But on the other hand, the rain that is starting to get heavier gives me the perfect excuse to invite him in.

So I just keep his hand in my, and get inside, silently climbing the stairs, though I don't feel any resistance from Jace, and when we get to my apartment door, he spins me around and pushes me against the wall. His right-hand flies to my face ad caresses my cheek as I see some hesitations in his eyes. As if he's afraid I'll reject him. _Jace Wayland, afraid of rejection_! I think I can say I've seen it all.

I confidently smile at him and gently tug on his soaked black shirt. His hesitation quickly flies away to be replaced by his usual cockiness as a smirk appears on his face, and he tells me,

"It's a good thing I haven't really been paying attention to you on our way here …"

"Why?"

He keeps on his annoying smirk, and so with all the efforts of the world, I tear my eyes away from his golden gaze to look down at myself. And that's when I realise that Izzy made me wear white. _White!_ And it's been raining! I while and try to keep some dignity by covering myself as well as I can with my arms whilst I can feel my first turning as red as a fire alarm. He chuckles and lifts my chin up, whispering,

"I love it so much when you blush like that."

His fingers slowly go to my hair as his face keeps on coming closer and closer. I can see the perfect golden liquid of his irises, I can feel his breath mixing with mine, and so, feeling a little brave, I stand on my tiptoes and close my eyes, ready to feel all over again the rush he created in my on that rooftop.

I can almost head his heart's uneasy cadence, feeling him closer than ever, his lips brushing against mine when … the door of my apartment flew open! Only to reveal a very unhappy Simon. _Damn it_! I totally forgot that I invited him over for our movie marathon.

We're all standing in surprise, looking at each other when Jace clears his throat and regains his composure pitting some distance between us.

"What are you doing here? He asks Simon, who looks outraged and retorts.

"_I_ was invited here!"

"Well, that's ridiculous, isn't it? How will we all fit in your bed, Clarissa?" Jace snaps, before looking at me with some sort of shocked pain.

But that lasted barely for a fraction of a second, before he turned on his heel he headed back to the stairs. I glared at Simon, shooting daggers at him, before catching up to Jace, "Jace, wait."

But of course, with his long legs, he's already gone. I turn back to Simon, so angry at him for ruining the moment between Jace and I. "What was that all about?!"

"What do you mean? You're the one who almost got your face sucked by some jerk while wearing see-through clothes!" He points out my shirt. Damn it, does everyone have to notice but me?

"That's not your problem! I never get in the way of you kissing other girls!"

"That's not the same. I never looked at them the same way you look at him!"

"Oh, and how am I looking at him now?"

I am so angry that I can feel the heat emanating from my whole body. I am so mad at him that I can't even think clearly. This is the second time that he's stolen me a kiss from Jace! And now, he had the nerve to make it seem as if _I_ am the bad guy in this whole mess!

"You look at him like you used to look at Jonathan!" Okay, that's a slap in my face. I was not expecting that. "You're not supposed to look at _him_ like this, it's supposed to be _me_?"

And this isn't making any sort of sense either.

"Why?"

"Because I am in love with you Clary. Always has been. Can't you see it? Every girl that I saw was just to make you jealous. And when Jonathan came in the picture, I backed off because I thought that _he_ could make you happy, but I was wrong, and I'm not going to make the same mistake for some jerk to break you again. _I_ was the one who was always by your side, the one who picked you up when you wanted to do nothing else but to fall, the one who stood by you when _he_ ... left, the one who never thought of anything but your happiness!"

Okay, I was nearly not expecting this. I mean, I was _so_ not expecting this! What am I supposed to say? Simon … well, he's just Simon. Nothing more. He is my rock through the hard times, my sun for my saddest moments. He is my everything to be completely honest. But not in that way. _Certainly_ not in that way.

"But Simon ... This isn't love, not as you see it. It's just the love for the people you really care about, the same love I have for you. This is not THE love."

"You just couldn't go all Han Solo on me, and tell me that you knew, could you? Clary, he's going to break you, just as Jonathan did."

"I doubt that," I told him because there is this something about Jace that I can't understand, but let me know that I can trust him.

Simon looks at me from head to toe, before leaving the same way, Jace. I look at the empty stairs, wondering how did the day that started so great ended up being a disaster? I close the door all the while repressing my tears. I mean, this is just depressing. I've just lost my best friend, Jace, … Thank God I still have my Mom, through and through.

And talking of which, she clears her throat, and so, like the baby I am, I run into her arms so I can cry there. She hugs me against her, soothing me with her sweet words of tomorrows and all betters and caressing my hair. And of course, the more I try to calm down, the more I cry and hiccup.

When my eyes are finally dried of tears, she gently smiles at me and recommends, "Maybe you should take a hot shower and tell me all about it later?"

I nod and go to my room to take some jammies. Once in the shower, I think again of what Simon told me, and of the memories, he brought back to me. _Jonathan_. Why did he have to bring him up? I was perfectly happy just pretending that nothing ever happened.

Once I am all cleaned and dressed, I join Mom back in the living room. She prepared two cups of hot cocoa and waffles, and I sit next to her, taking a huge bite in one of the waffles. And I have to say, no matter how cool it is to be free at the Institute, nothing beats some time with my Mom, and some of her awesome vegan food.

"You feeling better honey?"

"Yes. It's just that I had a lot to take in today."

"So I heard. Simon finally made his declaration."

"What do you mean finally?" I muse. Am I _that_ oblivious?

"Well, it was kind of obvious. According to Luke, it was only a matter of time before he took the step, and ... well, I guess he just did."

Well, apparently everyone knows about Simon's supposed love for me. Anyone but me. But I know that he is wrong about the kind of love he thinks he has for me. It's just his hormones confusing him.

"Well, ... I'm sure it will settle to be just fine. So ... is it me, or I heard two male voices earlier? Simon and …?" Mom probes and I just shrug. I mean, I don't know where things are with Jace.

"Just some guy from the Institute."

"Some guy uh?" She teases, and I just smile, silently telling her that I'm not ready to say anything more on that matter.

I mean, Mom and I have a really close relationship, but I never liked telling her details of my love life. And neither did she. otherwise, I'd be hearing all about Luke, or so I think, considering the fact that they never had THE talk with me.

She understands, and still, she gives me some motherly advice, "Just be careful honey. You don't want ... You don't want ... You know what happened last time."

Yeah … I know all too well what happened last time. I can actually still remember every part of last time as if it was a video I am forced to watch every time I think of it.

"Yes, I know. Don't worry, it's nothing anyway."

"Really?" She is so not buying. Hell, even _I_ am not buying it!

"Okay, he's kind of ... nice to look at. But I don't think this will go anywhere. Not after tonight."

She frowns thinking for a minute. That's why I love my Mom so much. She can be my Mom and my friend in the meantime.

"I'm not sure about that. By the sound of his voice, he seemed pretty upset by Simon's being here."

I shrug. That's tomorrow's problem, now. Jace wants to play the victim here, let him be. I am not that girl anymore. I am not going to run after him.

So instead, I talk yo my Mom about the institute, about the class, the teachers, the auto shop, the Lightwoods (keeping to myself that Jace is the guy we just talked about and that we share a bathroom). I tell her about the music classes and the tattoo (okay, Mom is cool, but she wasn't thrilled at all with that piece of news). We stayed up hours talking and catching up on our past week. So much has happened. She has this new commission coming up, and she's quite excited about it because it's challenging and well paid.

I fall asleep in my favourite position, my had on Mom's laps, listening to her beautiful voice whistle her long red hair slightly tickle my cheeks, making it seem as if her hair is kissing me goodnight.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

I wake up to the bussing and annoying sound of my phone. Why did I forget to switch it off last night? I'm just set on ignoring this call when I decided to be somewhat polite. So I pick up, without checking the caller ID

"Mmmiello?"

"Clary! I've been calling you for two hours!"

"Some people actually like to _sleep_, Izzy!"

"Well, get up it's 11 am! I want us to go shopping, like that you'll tell me all about what happened last night!" Last night? What happened last night?

"Last night?"

"Oh, Clary, sweet innocent Clary. When will you learn that there's no way to hide anything from me. I'll get it out of either Jace or you." Oh right, _last night_! Jace. I really need to talk to him!

"Where is he by the way?"

"How should I know, he left this morning saying that he needed to 'let go'."

"Okay, I'll meet you at the mall at 2 pm, okay? I've got to go now."

"Okay, see you later." I hang up, resting my head on the armrest of the sofa. I shouldn't have been lazy, and just gone to bed. And finally, Izzy's words take a full impact on me. _Why_!? (note the desperate tone). Why does Izzy have to be such a cliche of a girl? Going to the mall, shopping, pink and all that bullshit? What's wrong with being a girl version of Simon? Playing video games, and queuing for the newest manga is something I would totally get on board with!

"Problem in paradise sleepy head?"

I stand up as quick as I can at the sound of the voice and jump in the man's arms.

"_Luke_! What're you doing here?"

"Helping your Mom with her tons of paint cans. Did she tell you she was asked to restore an ancient mansion ceiling?"

"Oh, that was the big shot thing! ... Luke, I'd love to catch up, but I've just been kidnapped for a shopping session."

He winces at my pain and promises me that we will catch up later. I quickly take a shower and dressed as I usually did, before remembering that I am meeting with zzz, baggy clothes just won't do. This day is definitely starting on the wrong foot.

I spend half an hour looking for something 'Izzy-fitting', and end up stealing some clothes from Mom (thank God we're the same in every aspect). A blue denim pair of jeans, with a tight ripped shirt with a bleeding heart of it (yeah, my Mom rocks). quickly, I slipped in my boots and kissed Mom goodbye before making a complete detour from the mall. it's a long shot, but I just want to try it.

So I take the subway, hoping that I remember it all properly, and when after walking a couple of streets, I happily find the sports room where Jace took me to let go. I can hear grunts and heave, and internally pray _Let it be Jace. Let it be Jace_. I just want to confront, though, in the meantime, I am kind of scared to do so. I mean, things might not turn out the way I want them to.

I pop my head inside the main room, and find him alone and shirtless, punching with anger one of the bags. I watch his muscles contract and loosen as he keeps on hitting the bad again and again, sweat pearling all over his body, and his face so cold and closed.

"Enjoying the view?" He snaps me out of my gawking. He steadied the bag between his hands, and that's only now that I noticed that he isn't wearing any gloves, just the protective bandages that he is taking off.

I watch him sponge the sweat from his body, and he asks with a cold voice, "What're you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you."

"Oh, _now_ you want to talk. Well, I don't, if you're in a mood for feelings, go talk to your rat face!" Ratface? Who is he talking about?

"Tell me you're not talking about _Simon_!?"

"I don't care what you call him, he has a rat face."

This is definitely not going in the direction I wanted. I can actually palp his anger, and it's contagious. I can feel it rise within me, but I try to cool it down.

"I didn't come in here to talk about Simon. I came to talk about ... what happened last night."

"Well, I'm listening." He is apparently determined to not make it easy.

"Well, _what_ happened?" His eyes narrowed, scanning me.

"If you can't even say, then, nothing happened."

"Oh, okay." I shrug and turn on my heels. well, this was a waste of time. But he grabs my hand before I can try to go anywhere,

"That's it? You're not even going to try any harder?"

"_Any harder_? If this is a game for your game, well then congratulations, you won. But there's no way in Hell I'll cling to you because of what happened last night. If you can't assume it, it's not my fault. Simon was right: you _are_ a jerk!"

And with that, I just shake myself off of him and leave this cursed sports room. I run as fast as I can, until I catch a subway, refusing to cry once again over Jace. I'm tired of crying over this jerk. This isn't me anymore. So I swallow my tears and plaster a nice artificial smile on my face, ready to meet Izzy and her shenanigans.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So the next chapter will be neither Jace nor Clary. But someone else entirely. Anyone guessing can get a sneak peek of the story of their choice… **

💚** Well … you know me, sweet things never last, haha … or maybe they do ….**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚‼️💚** The updates of the week are **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (daily)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 6&7)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 11)**

**\- Tainted Love, TMI story (chap 9)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 12)**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	12. Chapter 12

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, I was not supposed to write this right now. But it's been almost three hours that this helicopter in circling my neighbourhood, preventing me from some good sleep. It is 3 am here, and I am writing because I can't sleep. So don't sue me, it is what it is.**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 12 (2,5)**

"Well, looks like she's adapting just fine to the place," Luke says with a bright smile to which I can't help but be doubtful.

"Maybe."

"You always worry too much."

"No, I always worry just fine. Clary doesn't do shopping. And how long has it been since you saw her out of her baggy clothes? I don't like it, Luke, I don't like it at all. I should have followed my instincts and flown away as soon as you told me about him," I say, feeling the panic rise in me. This is just a bad idea. This whole scheme is a bad idea. I just know it.

"And what? Make a whole new life up? What would you have said to Clary to justify the use of new names?"

I shake my head, defeated because no matter what my instincts are telling me, I know that Luke is right. As per usual. The Institute is the best way to protect Clary from Valentine. But at what cost? I'm lying to her! And I won't be able to protect her from the hardship of life there. Sure she is safe from Valentine, but there are so many other issues you face as a teenager, and I can't do a thing to help her with that.

Luke puts his hand on my shoulders, reassuring me the best he can, as he always does. And I can't help but wish my life was less complicated. If it was, maybe I could have invited Luke into my life in some more permanent way than just a friend. But I just can't impose him the chaos that has been following me since I was a little girl. I just can't.

So I let out a sigh and tap on his hand with gentleness before going back to loading the cans of paints in this big old truck I rented for the occasion. I could have asked me to drop me off, but as I said, I can't.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"No, it's okay. It's remote from the centre of town, and you have a library to run."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When I get to the address, I am a bit surprised that there is no one to meet me. Though there is an envelop taped at the door, with instructions to just get right on it. It's not that odd, because I've already had this sort of commissions, people are busy. What's off is that I usually have met the person at least once. Just so they know it's not a lunatic getting in their house. I've only communicated with this client via emails.

I enter the house, reading over the note from the door. I'll be honest, I'm quite excited about this job. I've been asked to reproduce the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and as an artist, that's an amazing challenge. The house is actually quite modern, and clean. Without a speck of dust. I inspect the room I have been told to work on, mostly focusing on the ceiling that is white and fresh. From what I can tell, the people who live here have just recently moved in. There isn't much personal decoration. None actually. None but …

My heart misses a beat when I catch a glimpse of the frame on the chimney. I barely dare to go closer, but I have to make sure. And there I see, my wedding picture. Me in a white dress, smiling from ear to ear whilst Valentine looks at me lovingly.

"How do you like the house, Miss Fray?" I hear behind me, recognising that too familiar voice.

I turn and pale as I recognise him. It's like he's barely aged. He is still handsome, even though a few wrinkles and grey hair have since made their appearances. But it's like those seventeen years we spent apart barely affected him. His features are still perfect and strong, his hair that I once caressed still so blonde they almost seem white, his steady black eyes still so intense that they can probably still make me swoon.

"You're supposed to be dead." I muse with a dead voice.

"And your last name is supposed to be Morgenstern, or at least Fairchild. We have a lot to talk about I think Jocelyn."

He opens the door that is behind him, and motions for me to follow him. I just do it, terrified of what he can do if he knew about Clary. I've been hiding from him for most of my life, and all her life, I lied in order to protect her from everything Valentine believed in. So I'll do my best to protect my child no matter what. Neither of them needs to know about the other.

He sits at the head of the table, telling me to do the same, and so I take the chair that is the furthest from him, my eyes still steady on him. There is only one question in my mind. He is smiling at me as if we were old friends catching up over a cup of tea, and I just can't hold it anymore,

"If you're alive, where is my son?"

"All good things come to those who can wait."

"So you didn't kill him!" I say, more out of relief than a real question. All my life, I've been mourning this son I never got to see grow up because of Valentine, and now, I have this slight and faint hope that maybe he is still alive.

"I have been longing for this moment for so long. You in front, at our dinner table, talking about our children." There is this small knowing smirk on his face, and I swallow with difficulty, doing my best to keep my poker face on.

"But you made it difficult, didn't you? First, you double-crossed me with that traitor of Lucian. What was I supposed to do? I knew you'd come back for our son, so I had to stage my own death for the Feds to get off my back. Then, when I finally got back on my feet, you had disappeared. Nowhere to be seen. I went to your parents' cottage, but you were more clever than going back there, weren't you? Not that you were fond of the place, to begin with. I've looked for you all over the world, never thinking that you'd hide in this ant heap. That was a very clever move, and I would never have found out if I hadn't had business to take care in New York. But all of this leads me to one question Jocelyn."

I don't say a word, terrifies that if I say something, anything, I can endanger Clary.

"How long do you think you could have hidden her from me?"

"Who?" Oh no, he knows. How am I supposed to protect her from him now?

"My daughter, Jocelyn. _Our_ daughter."

"She's not yours!" I snap, a desperate attempt to just make him go away.

He laughs, shaking his head, before standing up and going to one of the drawers. I try to steady my hear that is beating like a madman, due to the lie I just told. Clary is his daughter, just as sure as she is mine. _He,_ better than anyone should know that.

Slowly, as if to show he isn't out to hurt me, he walked to me and puts in front of me a manilla folder. As I open the folder, I can't help but think that he's acting just like he always did, giving me space and showing me his intentions.

In the folder, I see various pictures of Clary. Clary and Simon at various locations, one of them probably being a Halloween party given how they are both dresses. But there are also pictures of Clary with a young man that seems vaguely familiar, holding hands with him under the rain.

"I'll be honest, at first, I did think that she wasn't mine and that you moved on quickly after me. But then, _our_ daughter had this marvellous idea of getting a tattoo."

He points out a picture of Clary leaving a tattoo shop, with the same boy she was holding hands a few pictures ago. My focus is all on Clary, and how peaceful she looks. How long has it been since I saw her like that?"

"You see, the thing is, she doesn't look like sixteen, so I knew she couldn't be mine. But when she was asked about her age, she said sixteen. How long has it been since I last shared a bed with you, Jocelyn?"

"I don't remember." I lie.

"I think you remember bloody well, giving the fact that there is living proof of our love in front of us!" He points Clary on a picture. "So, I reiterate my question: how long do you think you could have hidden her from me?"

"You're supposed to be dead, Valentine. Why would I hide from a dead person? I wasn't hiding from you but from your ... acolytes." He looks a bit astonished and then he explains himself.

"No one knew what I was doing. Only you and I. All my followers knew was that I would cleanse the world, and I will. Once you return to me what is mine."

"I've destroyed it!"

"No you didn't, you were a scientist before you became this character you pretend to be. What I've done is too precious for you to destroy it. After all, it gave us a son and a daughter."

"Clary is not one of your experiment! What you've done with my son, you didn't do with my daughter!" I scream at him, because even though I've only known my son as a baby, Clary and he was very different, and I know it wasn't just because they were two different people.

"You're right, I miscalculated things with him. But her, she had the perfect dose, you just didn't know. It was meant for you, but as she was in your womb, she must have taken it as well."

I pale in the realisation of what he's done to me. To _Clary_. But to be fair, as Clary grew up, I always felt that this was a possibility. She wasn't like other kid, and now that she's grown up, I can tell she isn't like other people either. She's different in her own way. And it's because of Valentine.

With his smile still on, he takes a phone out of his pocket and hands it to me, "Bring me back my daughter Jocelyn. And then, we will have our happy family."

"Happy family? That will never happen! Never you will see me presenting you to Clary as her father! You hear me, _never_." He chuckles and pushes the phone toward me.

"Either you bring her to me, either I'll pick her up tonight at your place in an ugly fight." He threatens, but a part of me hopes that the gentle Valentine I once knew wouldn't stoop so low.

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me!"

I heavily sigh and take the phone. I compose Clary's number, hoping that she won't pick up and cursing the fact that I left my phone back home. I've never bee really keen on the device, and usually don't like being disturbed when I work. So I always leave it behind me.

"Mom?"

"Hi, honey? Where are you right now?"

"At the mall with Izzy." She whines and I can picture her dragging her feet behind Izzy the say way I used to drag my feet behind Maryse all those years ago.

I keep my eyes on Valentine, evaluating mine chanced to run back to the truck and somehow escape him again. So I slowly stand up and pace, as if nothing.

"Oh yes, I forgot about your shopping session. You're having fun?"

"Not really, Izzy is dragging in shops I didn't even know existed! Did you know that the mall had more than 50 clothing shops, and Izzy wants us to go in all of them! Help! I can come home now if you need me for _anything_."

"Well, I was thinking that maybe you should stay a little longer with her, you know with me being swamped by this new painting and all. Okay?" Valentine looks at me suspiciously before smiling, scaring me more than I care to admit.

"You want me to stay at the Institute?" I can hear the disappointment in her voice, and it breaks my heart. But it's the safest option for her.

"Yes. I have to go now, I'll call you later. I love you, honey, bye."

I hang up, defying Valentine to do anything, but he just keeps on smiling, simply shaking his head and walking to me so he can retake possession of the phone.

"If you think for a second that the Lightwoods will indefinitely protect her, you're wrong. Our daughter is wild, the walls of the Institute won't hold her forever."

I can't help but be horrified by the fact that just by stalking Clary, he can know so much about her. She never liked authority, and never hesitated to put her foot down and defy it when she felt that there was some unfairness in the deal. And her staying indefinitely at the Lightwood's will definitely feel like unfair to her after some time.

"Come on Jocelyn, I'll show you to your bedroom. But before, I want you to meet someone."

He opens another door, revealing a younger version of himself. It's as if I am brought back to all those years ago when he and I were just teens. This young man has the same white-blond hair, the same handsome face, the same height as Valentine. The only real difference is in the eyes. Though Valentine has black eyes, they are still clear enough that you can distinguish the pupil. This boy's eyes are so black that pupils and irises blend together, only circled by a ring of silver.

As I realise who he is, I fall to my knees, looking for my breath, and Valentine squad to me and whispers in my ear, "See, I told you I was going to bring our family all back together."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So this was Jocelyn's part, and now, the mystery thickens. Or not … we get to understand a bit more … or not. But that was a very important conversation for the plot, and for the characters involved with Valentine and Jocelyn … Remember, this was the first pic I ever wrote, so there are many elements from the book that will be in it. But many that won't haha. **

💚** Now, I know there was no Clace, but what did you think of Jocelyn? **

💚** Do you think Valentine is evil?**

💚** Now, how about their son? **

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	13. Chapter 13

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Let's try to finish this story, haha **

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 13 (4,0K)**

She's crying. I know that she is. I saw the tears building one by one in the corner of her green eyes. I saw how she did her best to hold them back, determined to not cry in front of me. I saw the way her head was bent down when she left. I made her cry. _I_ did it, all because I don't know how to act like a normal human being around her because she unknowingly makes me lose my ability to speak properly.

I go take a shower, completely crushed by what I've done. I still can't believe that I made Clary cry. Clary who always wants to appear so strong and invulnerable. I made Clary cry. How am I supposed to make it up to her? The hot water is raining down on me, but all I can think about is how I am going to make her smile again. I just want to make her smile and look at me the same way she did last night when we were oblivious of the world around us.

I know this is all my fault, I am the who couldn't let go of his pride and who got angry for no other reason than not liking her fat-face friend. And when she came with an olive branch, I just threw it back to her face. Basically, I acted like a jerk as she so eloquently put it. And I'm not going to lie, the way she said it, kind of hurt. She said it with so much disappointment as if she was just realising it when she had been blind to it all this time. This is just so frustrating.

With anger, I punch the wall in the shower, almost breaking my wrist in the process but at least, the pain calms me down. So I leave the shower and get dressed before going back home. To be fair, iii am almost tempted to make a detour so I can go to Clary's place and apologise about my behaviour, but I am too scared to see in her eyes feelings that I don't want to see there. I already saw her disappointment, I don't want to see her indifference. I can take anything but that. I just don't want to become a nobody in her eyes. I _can't_. I have to make it up to her.

Once I get home, there is a little ball of black hair jumping in my arms, and I happily smile to the person it belongs to as he screams,

"Jace!"

"Max! What are you doing here?"

"We're on holiday, remember?"

Oh yes, I forgot that today is the first day of our autumn break. Which means we have two weeks without schools, schedules and teachers. And I'm not going to complain about that. Even though it means that we will have two weeks without Clary. That, I clearly do not like.

I look down at the mini-Alec in front of me, noticing that his hair has grown. If he keeps it up like that, he will be able to get a man bun soon. It's so uncanny how much he looks like Alec, and how much his character is the same as Izzy's. Bubbly, cute, often a pain in everyone's ass.

Though I love all the Lightwood the same, I have always felt closer to Max. Probably because I came in around the same time he was learning to talk and walk. Or maybe it's just because Max is simply a loveable kid.

"Jace? Is it true that Izzy dressed up as Catwoman for Halloween?" I roll my eyes, remembering that the kid is in his Batman period, and he pouts. "I wish I'd thought of that."

"What? You wanted to dress up as Catwoman? Aren't missing some attributes for that? Though you're starting to get the hair for it."

"Don't be ridiculous. I wished I would have thought of a Batman character. instead, I dressed up as a stinking Zombie.

"And which character would have you gone as?"

"The Joker. He's so cool."

What's wrong with people and liking bad guys? It's like liking the hero has become overrated. I shake my head and propose to Max that we play some video games. I mean, it's the first day of the holiday. Let's just chill, eat junk food and punch each other on the PS3

As the kid is literally destroying me at Skull Girls, he nonchalantly asks, "Jace? Is it true that you are scared?"

"Dude. I haven't been scared since I wore diapers. Who's filling your head with such ridiculous lies?"

"I hear Izzy and Alec talking. Something about you being scared because you liked a girl. But I think they're missing something, because … well, you just said it. You're never scared. You're SuperJace."

I laugh a bit, liking that he used this little nickname he used to call me with when he was still young and impressionable. But deep down, I am freaking out. apparently, everyone knows that I have my eyes on Clary. _So much for keeping it cool_.

This girl is destroying me. Literally destroying me. My image, my mind, _me_. I mean, how many time did I let myself get lost in the thought of her, the thought of being with her? _this_ is not me, but I would happily let it become me if it means having her.

Alec and Izzy are right, I _am_ scared, but not for the reasons people would assume. I am of her way to take control in the most unlikely situations, of her way to have these outbursts of confidence and strengths that could threaten any male's manhood, of her way to sometimes look at me as if we are the only one in the world. And most importantly, I am scared of the way she could dispose of me in a minute if she wanted to. And yet, all those reasons that scare me, they uplift me as this girl is bringing in me too many contradictory feelings.

"I'm back!" Izzy singsongs as she enters the room, her arm unsurprisingly full of bags. She puts them on the sofa, squinting her eyes at Max and me, "So what have you boys been up to? Video gaming all day long?"

"Yeah! I've been crushing Jace for most of the day," Max brags, earning a pride smile from his sister,

"Food for him he needs to know that he's not the best in everything."

"Of course he's the best."

Izzy disapprovingly shakes her head, her eyes suspiciously steady on me. I really don't like the way she's smiling right now. mostly, because it seems pretty obvious that she knows. I don't know how, but she knows. Clary probably told her both about last night and this morning, which is quite annoying. Izzy is going to make my life a living hell.

"By the way, Clary is staying fr the night."

"Who's Clary?"

"The girl who dressed as Harley Quinn for Halloween. But when I say girl, I'm a bit exaggerating. She doesn't know how to shop! Seriously, the only shop she was interested in was the comic books shop. Seriously, I was supposed to get a girlfriend, not another brother!" Izzy whines, and I can't help but chuckle.

Then, I stand up and go straight to my bedroom to lay down and process the information I have just been given. Clary is staying for the night. This might be my chance for making it up to her, though I'm not sure how I will do that since she sees me as a jerk.

I am lost in my thoughts of Clary when I hear a scream coming from our bathroom. So I get up and go straight to the door, taking the time to knock first, "Clary? Are you okay?"

"_No_!"

ii carefully enter the bathroom and find myself in a small replicate of Izzy's, which doesn't surprise me much. I just know my sister too well. Clary is standing in the middle of the room, staring at all the new products on the sinks. She picks up the eyelash curler as if it is a bomb and inquires with horror,

"What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Apparently, curl your lashes. Unless you want to gauge people's eyes out."

"I know what it does! But how can Izzy think even for a second that I would ever use this? And _this_ what I God's name is this? Oh… that's it!"

She storms to her room and comes back with an empty trash bin. She angrily puts all the new products in the bin, pestering when it got quickly full. "I am going to _kill_ Izzy!"

"Good luck with that."

She glares at me, clearly unhappy with my lack of empathy, but I already know from experience that going against Izzy is a lost cause. She stomps to her room, disregarding the trash bin by the door, and I follow her, seeing that she has completely taken over the room.

Unlike my room, this one is full of colours, drawings plastered all over the walls, showcasing Central Park, various comic characters, Simon (eww), and several portraits of an older version of her (probably her Mom). She made the room … alive in some way

As she realises that I am with her in her room, she freezes, and asks, keeping her back to me,

"What do you want Jace?"

"I ... I want to talk."

"Jace … this is pointless. This game of cat and mouse is getting ... annoying."

"I know I acted like a jerk, but it's just that ... that ... " Man I hate stuttering like that.

"What Jace? What's wrong with just saying what you want? What's wrong with just being true for once?"

She's now looking at me, anger and incomprehension in her eyes. I pass my hands in my hair, and she raises her eyebrows, waiting for a coherent answer from my part. I look at her big green eyes, and without being able to reason myself, I grab her and kiss her. This is the best way I can express the mess inside of me at this moment.

She gasps of surprise, before pulling me closer and giving me back my kiss. So I tackle her against the wall, growling against her mouth and she opens it, biting my lower lip. One of my hand passionately goes up and down her thigh, whilst the other is behind her head, cupping her face.

I feel her fingers combing through my hair as she crushes my face against hers and our tongues battle for power. When my hand touches the skin beneath her shirt, she moans, sending me over the edge. All my senses are on her. I am tasting her mouth, feeling her skin, smelling her breath, hearing her uneven respiration. And just as I am reminding myself that there is a bed in this room, the door suddenly opens.

"Clary, Are you up to a moviiiiiyoupsie daisy."

"Izzy, get the Hell out!" I yell at her through my gritted teeth, quite annoyed that once again a magical moment I was having with Clary has been stolen from me. To quote Clary, I am going to kill Izzy!

She closes the door, and I look down at Clary who is blushing like a tomato. I take a step back, realising her from my human cage. And when she's no longer out of breath, she reasonably says,

"This can't keep happening."

"Why? Don't you like it when it happens?"

"That's not the point."

"That's precisely the point, Clary."

"No, you can't go around kissing people, just because you feel like it!"

"I don't kiss you because I feel like it, I kiss you because I like you."

She opens her mouth and closes it, out of argument and surprise clear on her face. And to be fair, it is a surprise to me as well. I don't usually like girls. But Clary … I don't know, there is this pool about her, and I like her very much.

She shares her head before she tries to get away from me, but I won't let that happen again, "Clary …"

"Jace, this isn't making any sense!"

"So? I don't care, I just want to be with you ... To feel you in my arms, and to Hell, if it doesn't make any sense."

She looks at me once again, fear and anxiety in her eyes, and I realise that I am frozen, hoping that I didn't say too much and that she won't try to run away. But she does quite the contrary she tiptoes and presses her lips against mine.

This kiss is soft, chaste and just a simple peck on my lips, but it turns me on much more than the two other issues we shared. So I cup her face with my two hands, delicately bringing her closer to me and give her back this sweet kiss.

When we break it, I can't help but grin, and I take her and in mine so we can go to the living room and join my siblings to watch this movie Izzy was talking about when she interrupted us. When we get there, she tries to put some distance between us, red as a tomato, but I don't let her and seat us on the free sofa. I mean, I did tell her that I like her, so that implies that I want to be with her and that I really don't care what the world has to say about that.

Alec and Izzy look at us briefly, though they don't say anything and go back on bickering on which movie we should watch. Chick flick, or car chases? Max, on the other hand, looks at Clary with big eyes, and she greets him,

"You must be Max."

"And you must be Clary."

"Yes. I heard that you love comic books?"

"They're a passion of mine, besides kicking Alec's and Jace's butt in video games." She laughed at that, before saying,

"I knew they wouldn't be a real challenge in this field. But if you want, I can show you a few comics that I brought with me."

"Oh yes!"

and just like that, she stands up, telling us to just pick a movie, and she takes my baby brother to her room, talking about superheroes and villains along the way. And I can't help but be annoyed. I mean, I wouldn't have minded going to her room and do … southing else than listening to Alec and Izzy argue on which movie we should watch.

"Did you finally made up? Good thing that her mom told her to stay here for a few days." Izzy nonchalantly said, and I just ignore her, though I appreciate knowing that Clary will stay for a few more days.

"Isn't it weird, though? Usually, parents with kids in boarding schools do anything to have their children during the holidays. Look at Mom and Dad with Max. Every holiday they make him travel all the way from England just for two weeks or so. Sometimes they even do it for a long weekend."

"Well, I'm not complaining!" I say, because really, why would I complain?

"Maybe you're not, but see the things from Clary's point of view, it might ... I don't know, hurt her that her Mom tries to get rid of her just after she got back there."

I frown a little at that, not sure how I should take it. I mean, should I be happy that Clary is staying with us, or should I feel bad about the reasons she has to stay? But before I can even linger on that, max and she come back, Max smiling like he always does on Christmas.

She sits back next to me, and I snuggle her against me. I pull a blanket over us as Alec puts popcorn on the table in the middle of the sofas, and we watch Coraline which is neither a chick flick nor a car movie but keeps us in that Halloween vibe. And as the movie goes, I start becoming aware of every one of her moves, every one of her heartbeat, but I just don't mind.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

"Aren't you tired?"

"I've never been more awake," I tell her and she smiles, slightly blushing.

We are in front of her bedroom, and she is playing with the handle of her door behind her back. Her eyes analyse me for a moment before she opens the door and enters her room, and I just stay in the corridor, not sure of what to do.

She turns back to look at me, a hint of a luxurious smile on her lips as she asks, "Well, aren't you coming?"

I don't need to be told twice. I get in her room, clearly aware that this is the first time I am doing so with her permission and she starts walking to her bed, before briefly glancing at me and redirecting her path to the window. I repress an annoyed sigh and point out to her,

"I'm not planning on jumping on you Clary!"

"I know that."

"So what's up with the distance?" She frowns, before muttering under her breath, "I just like being at the window, it feels good."

I sit on the edge of her bed, playing with one of the teddy bears there. I'm pretty sure this is Izzy's doing because Izzy has so many of those. For a little while, none of us says a word, and this is just awkward. So I sigh, passing my hand in my hair before getting up and going to her so I can take her hand in mine.

"Jace?" She questions with curiosity.

"You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, right?"

"I know that."

"So why are you so afraid?"

"I'm not!" She exclaims, and she could have been convincing if her voice hadn't been trembling as she said so.

And all I can think of is how could she be so seductive and inviting a minute ago, and now scared to death by my very presence? I lift her chin up, but she keeps her eyes cast downward, and her lips start quivering. I say her name, but she refuses t look at me in the eye before I see a tear roll down her cheek.

"Clary?"

"This is _so_ not happening! This is so very not happening!" She snaps, putting some distance between us as she wipes her tears away. She bolts to the bathroom, and I am left standing there, speechless. What just happened? This girl is such a conundrum!

Just as I start to think that I should go back to my own room, she comes out of the bathroom with a miserable smile n her face, and says, "I'm sorry about that, I don't know what came over me. It wasn't how I imagined things."

She once again tries to smile at me, waiting for me to reply something, but really, there is nothing to say. Or more, I don't know what I should do. I mean, I'd like her to trust me enough to tell me what's wrong with her, and what made her so wary of people, but that's probably something she should come out of on her own.

"Maybe we should get to bed. I'm sure you're more tired than you said, with all that boxing you did this morning." She says, walking to her bed, and before I can stop myself, I let out,

"Can I stay with you?"

She longly looks at me before smiling. "Sure." She takes out a shirt before looking at me again. "Well, I'll put my Jammie's on."

I stay dumbly looking at her before my brain finally registers what she just said. So I say I'll do the same, and go to my room through the bathroom. I usually sleep in my boxers, but I grab some old sweatpants and shirt before getting back to her room, where I find her on the bed, her sketchpad on her knees and a pencil in her hand. When is this girl not drawing?

She lifts her head up, her wild hair forming a halo around her face, and when she smiles to me, my heart starts to beat irregularly. I clear my throat, and ask, mostly to distract myself,

"What're you drawing?" She turns her sketchpad for me to see an unfinished drawing of the Joker. A young Joker with blue eyes and familiar features.

"Is this Max?"

"Your brother as a really good taste in matter of heroes."

"Hero? The Joker is the villain in case you misunderstood that."

She chuckles, shaking her head before she puts the sketchpad away and pats the bed next to her. I join her, my heart still beating abnormally as I got close to her.

"It's all a question of perspective. It's not because he appears as the bad guy that he is. He just has different ideals than the common run of people. And at least you can always rely on him to be as dishonest as he's always been. You cannot say the same about superheroes. Look what happened at Superman!"

I chuckle at her statement and freeze when I feel her slowly putting her head on my shoulder. She straightens herself right away before smiling in a disabused way.

"This is not going to work, is it?"

"Sorry Clary, it's just that I feel ... that you're not comfortable with me being so close to you. Maybe I shouldn't have asked to stay with you."

"_No_, no. It's fine!" Her tone actually reassures me, she really means for me to stay with her. I decide to give a shot to my instincts.

"Clary, can I ask you something?" She nods, bringing her knees to her chest. "Does, you being so... wary of me, has anything to do with your ex?"

That's it, the question is out. She lets out a breathe, putting her head in the cavity between her chest and her knees. I wait for her to say something, or do something, and after what seems to be hours, she lifts her head up and whispers,

"Sort of. But I don't want to talk about it. Not now, maybe later. I don't want to think about him right now. I want to appreciate the time I have with _you_."

"Okay." How can she make me so happy and so concerned at the same time? "Just one question though. Did he hurt you?"

Her breath quickens, and just like that, I already have my answer. Whatever he did, he hurt her deeply, more than she would ever say. So I take her in my arms, and she rests her head against my chest as she muttered, "You could say that."

I clench my jaw and my fists, wishing I could play punching ball with his face, whoever he is. It's just … I don't know why, but I feel like I just have to protect Clary, protect her with my life if need be. Protect her from her past, her present, and whatever may happen in the future. So I hold her a bit closer to me, and she breaks our embrace to look at me.

I'll be honest, it feels like she's looking into my soul. But to be fair, it always feels like that when she looks at me this way. She gently smiles to me, and tilts her head to the side, before leaning so she can kiss me. Something chaste and pure at first, and as I give it back to her, she cups my face and climbs on top of me.

Instinctively, my hands fly to her back, making e realise that she's not earring any bra, and I break our kiss so I can kiss her neck, and when I start sucking on her skin, making her moan. That's when I realise that this is wrong for so many reasons. So I stop myself from doing something I'll regret later and put some distance between us.

"Trust me, Clary, I want to, but, not like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want us to be a one-night-stand, or friends with benefits. And I certainly don't want our first time to be just after we talked about your ex being an asshole!"

She climbs off of me, frowning. She looks pained and hurt. Great, once again I hurt her without wanting to.

"Are you saying that you don't find me attractive enough to ..." She trails her sentence, letting me understand that she meant 'sex'.

"What? _No_! Trust me, you're plenty attractive! You have no idea how turned on I am right now!"

"So why …"

"Because I want a _real_ relationship with you!"

She thinks about it, before pecking my lips and giving me reason. So we just switch off the light and spoon. And as she falls asleep in my arms, I realise that I can easily get used to that. To her sleeping in my arms.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So we're back to Jace, and we had a glimpse that something is wrong. Both in present and past … I know, so many questions and so little answers. Sorry, haha **

💚** Now, what did you think of the Clace? **

💚** What do you think in Clary's past? (though I think it's pretty obvious)**

💚** And what about Max? Did you like him?**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚‼️💚** The updates of the week are **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (daily)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 11)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 12)**

**\- Stargate, TMI one-shot (COMPLETE)**

**\- No Strings Attached, FSOG two-shot (part 1)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 15)**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	14. Chapter 14

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy ^^**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 13 (3,8K)**

I'm not sure why, but here I am, laying awake before the sun is even up. I mean, it is 6:47 am, and I am up when we are on holiday! My body hates me! why would it wake me up so early when I'm not supposed to go to school, otherwise? I sigh with resignation and cuddle a bit more against Jace, so happy to feel him so close against me.

It is a bit odd that I feel those happy emotions just by being near him. It's like I am a whole other person whenever he is around. As if … I feel complete. It's … as if my centre of gravity becomes Jace. Everything I am doing, thinking or feeling is related to Jace. It is … odd.

My phone reaps me out of my thoughts, and I am a hundred percent sure that it's what woke me up in the first place. Whoever has the indecency to call me out at that godforsaken hour, has definitely tried to call me before.

I check the caller ID, and my heart skips a beat as I answer in an urgent whisper, "Jordan? What's wrong?"

"Hey, Clary. Simon is okay. Don't worry."

I sigh with relief. Jordan is the one person who has been by my sides to help Simon with his drug problems. A sort of sponsor one could say. And of course, because he helped Simon, and Simon had many relapses before being clean, there were many times when Jordan called me at impromptu hours because Simon would have gotten himself into troubles. Having Jordan call me so early in the morning just brought back some ugly and stressful memories.

"Why do you call me at 7 am? Not that I'm not glad to hear from you, but _7 am_!"

"I ... I just wanted to talk to you. Where can we meet? It's kind of urgent."

"Do you know the Institute?"

"Yes, I'll be there in twenty minutes." He says before hanging up.

I won't lie, this is making me anxious. Because Jordan can say whatever he wants, the only reason he has to actually want to see me is Simon.

So I get out of bed as delicately as I can, surprised that Jace didn't wake up with my phone call, and I go to the bathroom after quickly grabbing my clothes in the closet. A quick shower after (and my teeth feeling fresh and minted), I hurry downstairs, quite surprised that Jace still didn't wake up. I don't know, I always pictured him as a morning person.

What I didn't expect, was to find Luke as soon as I opened the door of my bedroom. In fact, it takes me a few seconds to process the idea of him being in the Institute. It feels so … odd and out of place.

He looks exhausted, proof that I'm sure he didn't sleep of the night. He has dark rings under his eyes, making him look somehow ferocious, and his grey strand of hair that is usually carefully combed back is now widely hanging on his forehead. But what worries more is that he is here without Mom.

"Luke! What are you doing here? Where's Mom?" I ask, without trying to sound bitchy, and he looks at me with a sort of desperation as soon as I mentioned Mom. I gasp, falling on my knees as I realise why he's here. _This can't be happening_!

I start missing air in my lungs, when he rests a comforting hand on my shoulder, and tells me, "It's not what you think Clary. It's just that your Mom ... disappeared."

"What?" I lift my head up, and he kneels in front of me, putting some soft pressure on my shoulder.

"She's not at your place, not answering her phone, and she didn't show up to her class yesterday night."

"But that doesn't make any sense. I talked to her yesterday. I was in the mall when she called me and ..."

I try recalling our conversation, and now I remember that I felt that something was off. I mean, for starters, she called me from a private number. But more than that, she did seem distant, as if she was careful of what she was saying … as if someone was listening to her. H_ow did I not realised that before_?

"Luke, do you think that _he_ got her?"

"I don't know Clary. But if he does, he'll come after you."

"But I thought that ... You said he was…"

"I know, but before yesterday I didn't think he was in New-York. Clary, your father is a very dangerous man when it comes to putting his plans in action, so …"

"We have to go and get her. What if he hurts her?!"

"She sent you here to protect you. Believe me, she didn't want to. The only thing you can do is to stay here. Let me go and get her."

"But..."

"Clary I need your word, I won't be able to focus on getting back your mother if I have to worry about you and your whereabouts all the time. I need your word that you'll stay on the Institute's grounds."

He looks straight in my eyes, waiting for him to nod and give him my implicit word. And … I do. How can I not? I know that he wants Mom back as much as I do. I know that he cares a lot for her, for me. He's always been there for us, so why should I stop trusting him now?"

"I'll bring her back to you, I promise."

I nod again, willing the tears that want to come out to actually not spill, and I stand up with as much grace and confidence as I can. He does the same, and gently pats my hair (like I've seen him do so many times with Mom) before he leaves.

For a few minutes, I just stare at the doors where he just walked through, focusing on not crying. All I want to do is cry. I want to cry so much. I want to cry until my eyes are dry and my throat is sore, but I can't. Not yet. Jordan is waiting for me with some other kind of bad news.

So I go to the courtyard, making sure that I listen to Luke and stay on Institute grounds. Jordan arrives on his bike barely a couple of minutes after and comes straight to me as soon as he's off of it, removing his helmet as he does so. As soon as he is at my level, he stops and carefully examines me, as much as I do for him.

It's been a few weeks since I've seen him, and it looks that he's gotten even more muscular than before. His hair is also longer, fitting into a man bun now. He still looks scary, with that 'don't mess with me' aura. I wonder if he got himself any new tattoo. Jordan is very much into the Indian culture, and he has many mantras all across his body to remind himself that his mind is stronger than his body in all honesty, he is my role model. After all, he's been through, he still managed to find himself stronger.

"Clary? Are you sure you're okay?" He hesitantly asks, and all I can do is nod. I am literally unable to pronounce a single syllable. I shake my head, and we walk a bit further into the Institue, making him whistle at the imposing architecture of the building.

"So …what's so wrong you couldn't tell me over the phone?"

He carefully studies my face, playing with the helmet in his hands, and I see how his eyes linger on my clothes, his jaw slightly clenched. After all, there used to be a time when I would dress in dresses, skirts and cosplays. And we both know why it's no longer the case.

"I … I heard some stuff going around. And I thought you should know about them."

"Such as?"

"Jonathan." He deadpans, and I just stay indifferent to that name. Jordan is still looking at me, apparently debating whether or not he should go any further into this and tell me more, and so I say as if nothing,

"And? He's gone, isn't he?"

He hesitates, rocking from one foot to the other, his eyes still carefully studying him, and I press him, "Isn't he?"

"Well, the word on the street is that he's back." I take in the news, trying to see the positive in it: back doesn't mean in my life. "And he's looking for you..."

I stay motionless waiting for the wave to hit me, but it never comes. I only feel numb. I can hear Jordan calling my names several times and myself reassuring him and telling him that I'm okay. I can hear myself thanking him for the update and telling him goodbye. I just feel … like I've lost control of everything. My life, my body, myself. I feel like I'm in this endless void surrounding, and taking me to some other place.

I don't even know how, but I find myself on the rooftop of the Institute, sitting on the edge with my legs dangling in the air. Why? Why? Why? Why does my life have to be so fucking hard? Why can't I live this happy routine that everyone is so eager to quit? I would happily trade my sucky life with anyone's average life! Why _me_? What have I done wrong in a past life to deserve that?

I take a deep breath and suddenly burst into tears. I just want to cry, cry at the unfairness of my life. Right now, only Jonathan is in my mind. Jonathan and how much I hate him. I hate him so much for what he's done to me, what he's done to Simon, for how's he made me feel. But most of all, I hate myself for crying over him, for being frightened like a little girl by the very idea of him breathing.

I bring my knees to my chest as the sun starts shining at its most. It must be around noon. How long did I stay up there, crying over that pathetic excuse of a human being? At least four hours, and yet, I am still crying. The tears keep rolling on my cheeks, and the sobs keep growing in my throat. As hard as I try, I can't stop myself.

I know I should get back inside because people are probably starting to worry, but I just can't stop crying. I cry over my missing Mom and the uncertainty of it all, over Jonathan's reappearance, and the shadow it casts on my life, over my life and how weak I feel at the moment.

Again and again and again, I cry. It seems endless until it finally stops. I brusquely stand up, furious at myself and whipping the tears with anger as I go back inside the Institute. thankfully, I don't meet anyone to my room, and once there, I lock myself in, heading straight for the closet.

I fly open the doors and take all my baggy clothes to throw them in a pile. I also take my overlarge shirt and ass it to the pile from Hell. This is the part of me that Jonathan is not going to take away from me anymore! it's because of me that I changed my clothing habits, and I am so not going to let him take over my life anymore! If I am not able to do a thing to find my Mom, you can bet I am going to help myself.

I push all the clothes on the floor to a corner, before going into the bathroom. But as soon as I open the door, I am face to face with an anxious Jace, who immediately wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace.

"Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you!"

He slightly lets go of me to gently cup my face with his hands, and as he is about to kiss me hello, he notices something on my face that stops him and makes him frown,

"Have you been crying?"

How am I supposed to answer to that, without warranting more questions from him? So obviously, I take the easy way out and tiptoe myself so I can wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him. In fact, this quickly turns into something passionate from my part. I kiss him as passionately as I want to forget.

I can feel him hesitating, and so I close the gap between us, making our bodies touch. And yet, he still isn't responding the way I want. One of my hands angrily twists my fingers in his golden hair, whilst the other hand goes down to show him what I want, and when I feel his hard-on in my hand, he finally reacts, only to break our kiss and take my hands off of him,

"Clary, what's wrong?"

"Make me forget. Please, make me forget."

Okay, this sounds more like a supplication than anything else, but ultimately, this is what I want, to forget. And I know that Jace will make me forget. He is my centre of gravity whenever he is around, whenever he is mentioned, whenever I think of him.

I can feel some tears forming in my eyes (who knew I had any left to spare), and so I turn my head to him and go back to the door.

"You don't want to do that."

"Uh? Why?"

"You're not wearing anything except a bra." He points out, and I look down at what I'm wearing (not) and quickly wrap my arms around my chest as I realise what I really did. I just threw myself at him, half-naked, obviously ready to take it to the next step and he still rejected me.

I turn to glare at him, and he is much closer than I expected him to be. In no seconds, he takes me in his arms, but I am so not having it. I don't want to be Jorah fucking Mormont and be stuck in the fucking friend zone! So I push him off of me, and start yelling, "Jace if you don't want me, don't play this game!"

"What do you mean?"

"It means what it means! If you think that I'm off-limits when it comes to sex, then I don't want this relationship! I want all of you! I don't want to be just your friend that you occasionally kiss when your lips get bored!"

He opens his eyes with surprise and shock before pacing in the room like a madman. I close my eyes to stop the tears from building up once again (honestly, when am ii going to stop crying?). But I quickly snap my eyes back open when he starts yelling back at me, "You think this is easy for me? Seeing you like that, dressed next to nothing, and knowing that if I touch you, you'll freeze as if I burned you! Don't you think that I want to hold you right now? Don't you think that I want to have my way with you right now? But I _can't_!"

"And why can't you?"

"Don't make me say it out loud, we both know that it won't make you feel any better."

He stared at me, making me understand that he knows. How does he know? That remains a mystery. I never told him anything, or anyone else in fact, beside Jordan, Simon and Mom. And … well, let's be honest, it changed everything. How can I be with him now that he knows? Hw can he help me build a new me if he already knows?

I turn to avoid his gaze, leaning my face against the door. Unsurprisingly, all I want to do is cry. _Again_. But God helps me, I am not going to cry for a boy. _Not again_! I don't even know how I manage to be coherent, but I tell him, "Well, in that case, I don't want to hold you back. I'd hate for you to feel bad about my life. Just go, Jace."

I hear the bathroom door closing, and I swallow my hurt. Once again, Jonathan has ruined my life. He is getting good at this, now, he can do it without even being here. This is a new level of screwing up with my life. Kudos Jonathan.

But suddenly, I can feel Jace's presence behind me. He is caging me against the door, and his lips find their way to my neck.

"I want to make it go away Clary." His hands leave the door to softly fluter up my arms. His lips flicker against the skin of my neck. "I swear I'll make it go away." Slowly, very slowly, one of his hands undoes my braid, setting my wild hair loose. Gently he makes me turn and I close my eyes, refusing to let him see what a wreck I am. He kisses my forehead, my eyes, my nose, and then he says, leaning his forehead against mine :

"Clary, open your eyes please."

I shake my head and he asks again. He's holding me with such gentleness that I can only comply. So I open my eyes to meet his. If only I could get lost in the gold of his eyes. He stares at me, his eyes full of so many emotions I can't understand. He cups my head still holding my gaze.

"Let me make it go away." And then he kisses me, with that same gentleness he used to make me turn. I melt against his kiss, wishing for it to never end. Slowly he pushes me against the door, never breaking the kiss. One of his hand slowly leaves my face to go on my lower back, making me shiver. I gently lift my hands to wrap them around his neck, not trying to change our kiss. It is perfect, just perfect. Me in his arms, feeling like I am someone. Like I was someone _to him. _

And obviously, the door suddenly opens, knocking my head to his in the process.

"Clary do you know wh...?" Izzy asks before stopping herself and I sigh at the inconvenience.

Never I would have a normal alone-moment with Jace. Once again Izzy has to interrupt us. Her head is popping through the door. Her eyes going from Jace to me when I hiss at her: "Ever heard of the word 'knock'?"

"Jace ... can't you hold your hormones for a second!"

Okay, so if this isn't blatantly ignoring me, I don't know what it is! I move a little, so she can enter in the room completely because let's be honest, it's futile to try to resist her. Jace doesn't seem very happy to see her, and I can't blame him. I think we were sharing a beautiful special moment, ruined by Izzy-I-don't-know-how-to-knock-before-getting-in-someone's-room.

She looks at me with insistence, and I remember that I am not wearing a shirt, so obviously, I blush and rush to put something on. Jace has the nerve to chuckle, before Izzy starts to lecture him, "Seriously Jace, what's wrong with you? This isn't …"

"Izzy, shut up!" Jace interrupts her, in a bad mood now, for some reasons. I put on the first tank top that comes to me, and Izzy (of course) disapprovingly shakes her head.

"Jace, Mom is looking for you. She's in Dad's office with him." He frowns at her, asking her silently what they want, but she just smiles at him. I turn back to my closet, trying to be as invisible as possible to leave them to have their silent sibling-moment.

Half a minute late, Jace kisses my forehead under Izzy's analysing eyes and leaves me with her. I can't help but wince at the idea of Izzy and me in the same room just after she saw me kiss her brother twice. I can feel her need to talk about it pour out of her.

"So I see you decided to clean your wardrobe from all those ... _things_ you called cloths. You know what that means?"

"We're not having another shopping session, Izzy! Once a year is more than enough."

"It's either shopping or we talk about what I just walked into..." She deviously smiles at me. And I'm stuck. In both cases, I don't want to do it. But shopping would make me break my promise to Luke.

"Well, let's talk about that then," I say, resigned.

"Man, you must _really_ hate shopping. So what's going on between you two?"

"I don't know."

"You haven't stopped kissing for three days, and you don't know what's going on?!" She asks with suspicion.

"I guess not."

"And there was no sex, you're sure?"

"I think I'd know."

Izzy looks at me as if her eyes are about to jump out of her eyeballs. "Well, he must really like you. Jace doesn't do good with abstinence."

I can't hold back a snort, making Izzy look at me suspiciously. I avoid her gaze when she suddenly gets up.

"Anyway, no shopping doesn't mean no makeover. You owe me one remember, I'm so going to make him drool and wish he could have his hands all over you!"

"Should I be worried that you want to put me on your brother's bed?"

"You like him don't you?" I nod. This is something I am sure of, in the middle of this wreck that my life is, I really like Jace. "In that case, no worries. Anyway, if you don't want to do anything with him, he won't, but that doesn't mean we can't make him suffer. Come on, all my stuff are in my room, and I have some clothes that I'm sure would fit you."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So lots of things happened here. To help you with what to focus on. **

💚** Jordan and Jonathan were introduced a bit more. What do you think of them? **

💚** Luke clearly has declared Jocelyn missing. What is going on here?**

💚** Clace is getting serious, and Jace clearly knows what happened to Clary. What are your thoughts?**

💚** Izzy is the ever-so-present cockblocker, and Maryse wants to speak to Jace … what about that?**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚‼️💚** The updates of the week are **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (daily)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 11)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 12)**

**\- Stargate, TMI one-shot (COMPLETE)**

**\- No Strings Attached, FSOG two-shot (part 1)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 15)**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	15. Chapter 15

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 15 (3,4K)**

Unwillingly, I leave Clary's room. I mean, I'd like to talk about what is going on between us, but mostly, I don't want to leave her alone with Izzy. I know she cares about Clary, but Izzy can have a big mouth sometimes.

My heart did skip a bit in the morning when I woke up and Clary wasn't by my side, but I just figured she woke up before me, so I went to the kitchen. But then, Izzy informed me that she couldn't find Clary, and this made me lose the blood of my face. I mean, what was I supposed to think? She left the bed we shared just at the break of dawn and disappeared into thin air.

And now, I still don't know what happened. obviously, something big because Clary was clearly distraught, and I am definitely going to ask about it. I just … I don't know when, because I hate it when she cries.

I snap back to the present time as I get in front of Robert's office, and I knock. I find in the room Robert sitting behind his desk whilst Maryse is pacing throughout the room, looking exhausted and on the verge to cry. I close the door, wondering what I did to be in trouble again, but when Maryse looks at me, I see pure worry and concern in her eyes.

And that doesn't sound good at all.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"We have to take a trip to Europe. We dropped Max the Verlac's and we're leaving in an hour." Robert tells me, and this comforts me in the idea that there is definitely something wrong.

I mean, why would they call me to their office just to let me know about some stupid trip? This isn't the first time they're going abroad. Every year they go abroad to do God knows what. Maryse leans against the desk, hiding her face in her hand, and I do feel coerced for her. She looks very tired.

"Jace you remember what I said about skipping school with Clary?" She asks.

"Yes?"

"Well, that applies to you too, now. Until we get back, you cannot leave the Institute."

"Uh, what? _Why_?" Can this get anymore fishy?

I mean, no matter what stupid shit I did in the past, they never grounded me, and they never set up stupid rules about me not being able to leave the Institute. Maryse sighs as Robert gets up, gathering some files. man, she _really_ looks tired.

"Because I tell you so. I promise I'll explain everything when we'll be back, but in the meantime, I need you to trust that what I do is in your best interest."

I nod, even though I want to know more than anything. I mean, I could try to push it now, but she looks so tired, I don't want to crush her under a gazillion questions. Maryse weakly smiles at me, and I take that this is my cue to leave. I turn and just as I open the door, Robert puts his hand on my shoulder, making me turn so I can look straight into his eyes,

"Jace, I count on you not to get out of the Institute, and also to keep Clary in. Neither of you is to leave, do you understand?"

Once again, I nod, before leaving and going back to our quarters. _What the hell is all that about_? first, Maryse saying that Clary needs protection, and now, the two of us behind forbidden to leave the Institute.

I sigh, shaking my head, and bump into Alec who is trying to sneak his way back into his room. His hair is all messed up, his eyes looking like he hasn't slept of the night and his body rather glittery.

"Is this an hour to come back, Alec? If Robert catches you like that you're a dead man!" I joke because Robert's worst fear is that one of us brings back a kid. Alec raises an eyebrow at me and retorts,

"You want to talk? How many time did you come back in worst state?"

"But with no proof all over my perfect body, I could pretend that I only went jogging or the sports room early. But that" I dust some of the glitter from his shirt " That, my friend, is calling for trouble."

"Well, thanks for the advise, I'll be more careful next time."

"Next time? Oh, so this is a we-see-each-other-on-a-regular-basis kind of girl!"

He nervously smiles, and I follow him to his room, not really looking forward to being cooked by Izzy. And yes, I'm perfectly aware that this makes me a coward and a terrible person to leave Clary alone with my inquisitive sister. But Izzy is a scary lady …

As soon as he is in his room, Alec crashes on his bed, kicking his shoes off, and mumbling something about being tired. I glance at the clock, and realise that we need to move,

"Well, that what nights are for. Now it's almost 2 pm and no one has eaten in this house! What's wrong with the world? Come on, we better go to the kitchen before Izzy takes it hostage!"

He wined a bit but still follows me to the kitchen, though he collapses on a chair, and puts his hands over his head. Well, looks like I'm the one who's stuck cooking. I mix up a quick salad, with Alec moaning from time to time in the background.

"By the way, the folks are travelling to Europe, they're about to leave." This has the merit to wake him up entirely. He sits up straight, all traces of sleep gone from his face as he asks,

"What about Max? They never leave when Max is around!"

"I know, they dropped him at Seb's. Don't ask me why I don't know."

"You know what that means?" He looks at me, already wary of what will happen when Izzy finds out.

"No, we're not having a party. It always ends with her friends getting drunk and us fixing the pieces!" I strongly say, and he approves, though he thinks for a second,

"Maybe we could restrain her by saying that we just want a few people over."

"Izzy doesn't know what 'a few' means!"

We sigh together, making us laugh, and then he mumbles something about inviting someone over. He takes his phone out of his pocket to text that person and I can't help but be impressed. Alec is getting bold. I have never seen him sneak out to see a girl, that's something that _I_ used to do. And now, he's inciting the girl over. Even I never dared to bring a girl home.

Izzy suddenly enters the kitchen, happiness written all over her face. Oh no, she knows …

"Guys, Mom and Dad are leaving town, we _have_ to —"

"No, we don't! Izzy let us rest, for once, during our holidays!"

She pouts and sits next to Alec. It's insane how much they look alike. I mean, one could almost mistake them for twins. The only real difference (I mean, decide their gender) is that Izzy has brown eyes when Alec has blue eyes. She's actually pretty annoyed by that fact. So annoyed that she tried to put on contact lenses, but it irrupted her eyes, so she stopped.

She looks at Alec's phone as he is texting his mysterious girl, and she whispers something t him that makes him giddily smile. okay, it looks like I'm a terrible brother because I'm the last one aware that lace has a girlfriend. Talking of girlfriend …

"Izzy, where is Clary?"

"On the phone with Simon about a certain Jonathan. Speaking of the Devil, where was she this morning, she wouldn't say?"

"How would I know, you interrupted us."

"Sure, because this is your idea of asking questions? Kissing and stripping her until she tells you?"

Alec chuckles along with Izzy, enraging me more than it should.

"I didn't strip anyone! She was already like that when I found her…"

"Well next time lock the door, I don't want to have my eyes burned by what I might see in this room!"

"Next time, try knocking!" Clary retorts for me, appearing in the kitchen.

And when I say appeared, I mean it. She's wearing a black and pink sleeveless dress with the neckline black, curving her braless breast in a way that makes me wish we were alone right now. The pinkish bottom of the dress stops mid-thighs, and for the first time, I am seeing Clary showing her bare legs, and though she's not wearing heels to make them seem longer, I still find myself appreciating seeing them.

I slowly look back up, noticing on the way that she's wearing bracelets and a long cross necklace. And finally, I get to her face. When my eyes finally meet hers, she's looking at me with curiosity. Her curls are loose, falling on her shoulders the way I like them. She's barely wearing any makeup on her face, just some mascara and a touch of eyeliner.

I can see her eyes carefully studying my reaction, and I turn my head, clenching my fists and jaw before I find myself doing some inappropriate things in front of my siblings. I glare at Izzy for her stupid idea of dressing up Clary, and obviously, she just grins at me.

We all sit down to eat, and Alec, Clary and I spend most of the meal fighting Izzy and her ridiculous idea of a party. Clary is actually the most vehement about it, and in the end, she took one for the team. We won't have any party, but she has to be Izzy's human Barbie doll. But let's be honest, it's a win-win for me.

Once we are done eating, Izzy leaves, saying that she's meeting someone (lucky her who gets to actually go as she pleases), and Alec staggers his way to his room, muttering about his deep need of sleep. I turn to Clary and ask her what she wants to do, and she shrugs, proposing a movie. We go to the living room, but as soon as she sees the PS, she says,

"Or I could kick your ass at SkullGirls?"

"You only wish. If Max wins, it's only because I let him. I won't hold back because you're a girl."

"Good because me neither."

I sit next to her, inches away from touching her, and we play for a good couple of hours during which she beats me each and every time. No matter which character she chooses, she still ends up beating me effortlessly. After yet another defeat, I abandon the remote on the side of the couch, and lean my head backwards,

"I give up, you're not a normal human girl! You're from another planet or something!"

She chuckles, getting up and putting the remotes back to their rightful place. Then, she comes to stand in front of me, looking at me for half a minute beef mumbling something about homework. I grab her hand before she can go anywhere, and she looks as me warily.

"Jace …"

"I know Clary, but what I said yesterday, I meant it. I do want to be with you. The question is, do _you_?"

"You know that I do..."

I close my eyes with relief, letting out a breath I didn't even realise holding, and I bring her closed to me, putting my hands on her bare back since the dress reveals it. She gently brings her hand to my hair and brushes it back, and that simple and innocent gesture sends me shivers up and down my body. I gently kiss her at her jugular, feeling through my lips the unsteady beat of her heart.

Slowly, I go up and when my lips graze her earlobe, she clenches her fists in my hair. So I bring her closer sucking on the soft skin of her neck, which made her gasp and arch herself to me. I can feel myself harden, but I know that I can still control it. Slowly, ever so slowly, I move my lips to hers, playing with her patience and delaying as much as I can the moment when I am going to kiss her.

When I finally kiss her, bending her a bit because she is slightly taller than me right now, I feel goosebumps rising on her skin. I lift my hands to her hair and deepen our kiss, begging for entrance in her mouth. And she lets me in, sitting on my laps as I relax on the couch.

For a moment, I let her take control of the kiss, relishing in the way she holds on to me, the way she kisses me, the way her legs would tighten around me. Still kissing her, one of my hands abandon her luxurious hair to explore the softness of the skin of her legs.

She moans as my fingers brush her calf, and in a brusque move, I flip her so would be laying on her back, with me between her legs. I hear her gasp as my hand impressions her boob through the fabric of her dress, and as I feel myself getting even harder, I gently peck her lips and rest my head on her chest, though I don't put all my weight on her.

I can hear her heart flickering as I am trying to calm my own, and I smirk as she says, "Keep on lighting me like that, and I'll burn all too soon."

I sit up and see a glimpse of disappointment shine in her green eyes. We stare at each other for a while, before she promptly gets up and mumbles something about being right back. I only have to wait a couple of minutes for her to come back with her sketchpad in her hands. I raise an eyebrow at her, asking,

"You want to make a remake of Titanic? Sorry I don't have any blue diamond for me to only wear." She rolls her eyes and sits back next to me.

"You know, I'm trying to be nice here."

"Are you?"

"Just sit and watch." She opens her sketchpad on the first page and introduces me to her world.

she shows me many drawings of her Mom, who is basically an older version of her. And as off as it sounds, watching pictures of Clary's Mom, makes me easily picture a future with Clary. With the two of us growing old side by side.

Then, she shows me drawings of the rat, _Simon_, and Luke. "He's the father I never had."

"You don't know your father?" I ask. I mean, I know that she lives alone with her mother, but I figured that her parents were just separated.

She shakes her head, avoiding my gaze, and I let her know, "Well, in that case, we are the same." She smiles, nodding.

"Yes, but we both had great people to take care of us, didn't we?"

I agree, and surprisingly find myself willing to open up to her, "Yes, Valentine was great. Strict but great. I miss him sometimes."

"Is Valentine your Godfather?"

"Yes. I spent my whole childhood with him. I was homeschooled you see, and he taught me so many things that you don't learn at school: astronomy, calligraphy, martial combats, burglary, different kind of languages, …"

"You speak other languages?"

"Mais, bien sûr. J'ai plusieurs talents cachés." (_Of course. I have many hidden skills_.)

She smiles, shaking her head and making her hair bounce all around her face, but I swear this display of French, made her somehow a bit sad.

"You don't have to show off, I believe you."

I chuckle and put my hand over her shoulder, ready for her to show me more parts of her life. She turns the pages of her pad, showing unknown faces that she drew because they had something that caught her artistic eye.

But at some point, she brusquely closes the pad, even though we still have Manu unseen pages, and she puts the pad away, too far away for me to reach without breaking the embrace we have. I'm about to ask what this is about, but she just dismissively smiles at me, trying to pretend that this behaviour was normal.

I don't need to be a genius to understand that _her ex_ is what comes in the next pages, and so I hug her a little tighter, though a billion questions are burning my lips. I don't want to awake unpleasant memories for her when we're sharing such a sweet moment. She leans against me and asks about my childhood, the two of us dozing off as I tell her about Valentine.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

"Dude, wake up. Izzy is trying to cook!" Alec tells me, and this makes me stand on my feet in less than a second. Nothing better to wake up someone but to tell them that Izzy is in the kitchen with ingredients in her hands. This screams indigestion all the way.

I look down on the couch I was just napping on, but Clary is nowhere to be seen. "Where's Clary?"

"Trying to save us all by taking over the kitchen. The problem is Izzy's not having it."

I rub my eyes before following Alec to the kitchen. Clary and Izzy are arguing over a recipe that apparently Izzy printed out of the internet. I am about to state that I was not eating whatever Izzy would cook when I notice someone else's presence. There is a long and lean man against the counter, playing with a banana in his hands. He has brown skin and Asian blue eyes making them look like cat's eyes. He's wearing his hair spiky and has glitter all over his body.

I look from him to Alec, connecting all the facts one by one.

"Hello I'm Magnus, I take it that you're Jace?" The man says, presenting his hand, and I just shake it out of reflex, nodding like an idiot at his statement.

Of course, now Izzy decided to stop arguing, and the kitchen is oddly silent, so I try to regain my composure. I sit down and try to diffuse the tension, "I'm not sure you chose your best day to show up. You'll end up at the hospital if you eat something Izzy cooked!"

"Fuck you, Jace! "

"Izzy, you managed to burn your cereals!" I remind her, and she sighed, sitting on a chair as well and pouting as she mumbled that everyone was ganging up on her.

"If you want, I can show you a few quick tips." Clary proposes, obviously feeling bad, but Alec and I violently shake her head at that. We both know that Izzy has this special power to literally spoil food that she touches. Alec saves the day, grabbing Magnus's Gand and saying, "We'll eat from Taki's! I feel like eating Chinese. We'll be back in twenty."

And with that, he's gone. Izzy shrugs and leaves the kitchen, not without glaring at meta dn when it's just the two of us, Clary comes to sit on my laps. She smiles and gently pecks my lips.

"Is her cooking that bad?"

"The fact that she managed to _burn_ cereals should answer your question."

"How did she do that?"

"I don't know, but we had to buy a new microwave afterwards. The other one melted." She chuckles, sparkles shining in her eyes.

"Well, when you put it like that ... " I nod, still shivering about the idea of Izzy cooking. "By the way, you never guessed?"

"What?"

"Alec being gay?"

Great, apparently everyone knew about my brother's sexuality, but me. I really need to pay more attention to people around me. I mean, Clary had known Alec for barely a week, and yet, she knows that he is gay.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So why do you think Maryse and Robert forbade Jace from going out? **

💚** and Jace mentioned something rather important here about his upbringing **

💚** And Malec is in the place …**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	16. Chapter 16

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy. The rating changed and can trigger some people. Ignore the italics then, and just go to the normal font.**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 16 (1,8K)**

_ "Clary, I'll always be here for you," He says, and I smile at him, knowing that he means what he is saying. _

_ For as long as I've known him (even though it wasn't that long ago that we've met), he always had my best interests in mind. He is like a ray of sun in this time of darkness. I try to stop shivering, but I can't, I was too scared and too cold. Gently, he puts his jacket over my shoulders and rubs my arms over it. _

_ "But, what about you?" I protest, worried for his health. He shakes his head._

_ "Don't worry, I have a strong constitution." He smirks, and I blush a little. _

_ The hotel is silent as a tomb as we walk in. It 's not my first time here (how many time did I have to come to drag Simon out of here), but I still can't help but feel uneasy being here. He takes my hand in his, burning me with his warmth. Slowly we check the rooms one by one, finding sometimes people dead to the world all over the place or rats crawling on the floor, but there is no trace of Simon. Suddenly my phone rings, making me jump on my feet and my heart miss a beat or two. It's Jordan, and even before picking up, I feel relieved. Jordan always saves the day. _

_ "Clary, I found him, just get out of there." _

_ I sigh of relief before turning my face to the blond one next to me and smiling to him, my thumb up. He smiles back before leading me out the room where we were, but instead of leading us to the exit, he buries us further in the hotel. _

_ "Where are you taking us? Simon is not here, let's get out of here, it's too creepy around here."_

_ "I just want to show you something, trust me." _

_ I sigh but still follow him. We enter a room rather clean, compared to the others, with a desk and a chair, tons of case-files all over the place, a large Arabic carpet and a massive bed. It must be one of the last room of this hotel that still looks like a hotel room from the '60s. I look up at him, wondering what he could have wanted in this room. _

_ He grins at me before heading to the desk and searching in its drawers. I follow him, unsure of where this is going. I just want to get out of here, but I can't just let him here all alone. That room looks a lot like where they used to keep all their records, and being there just feels wrong. Even more wrong than being in this fucking hotel to get my best friend out of it. _

_ When he finally finds what he was looking for, he signals me to come to him. I do, curious to see what he's been so eager to find, but when I am at his level, he pulls my loose hair back to kiss me. And it feels wrong, _**_so wrong_**_. _

_ If I thought what we were doing before was wrong, it's nothing compared to this. His lips feel like ashes against mines, burning me like Hell. This is so not how I imagined my first kiss. Not in a junkies' lair, not with one of my best friends, and not with this sensation of doing something fundamentally wrong. I withdraw myself, unsure of what triggered that impulse in him. Sure everyone thinks that we're together, but he knows better. _

_ "Jonathan?"_

_ "You have no idea how much I wanted to do that, Clary." _

_ "What? And this is your idea of our first kiss? In hotel Dumort!?"_

_ I shiver and remove myself from his arms. This is just so wrong. Jonathan can't possibly want me. I am nothing compared to him. He is so perfect and I am so ... not perfect. Where he is tall, I am petite, where he is pale blond (almost white), I am flaming red, where he is sinewy and muscular, I am skinny and frail, where he is flawless, I am freckled. _

_ And besides that, I never liked Jonathan this way. Sure I adore him, look up to him, want to be more like him, but he is just like the big brother I never had. Even though everyone around us thinks that we are the perfect couple, I never saw us like that. I shake my head, passing my hand on my face and I look at him, expecting him to grin and make a joke, like his usual self; but he is looking at me, a strange light gleaming in his raven-black eyes. _

_ "Clary, don't you feel that we are meant to be together! Everyone can see it, why can't you?"_

_ "Can we talk about this somewhere else?" _

_He walks the few steps that were standing between us, and without being able to stop me, I take a few steps back, bumping into the edge of the bed. I see his _eyes_ analysing my whorl and he grins when I touch the bed._

_ "What do you think I'm going to do to you, Clary?"_

_ "Nothing, you're not going to do anything. You're not like that." _

_ My voice shivers so much that even I don't believe in my own lie. I have tears that start to roll on my face, but I don't dare wipe them away, I don't dare make a single movement. I know I can't outrun him nor beat him up. My only option is to reason for him. _

_ "You said that you'd ..."_

_ "That I'd always be here for you. I know. I'll always be with you because you are mine to be. I'll make you feel how we are meant to be."_

_ I am literally terrified, quickly I look at the door, hoping that I can reach it before him, but when he follows my gaze, he looks at me with a 'do-not-even-think-about-it' kind of look. I stay still, hoping that he is just telling what he has in mind and that he is not going to actually show it, but when he comes closer, I can't help but shriek. _

_ He grabs my hair and brutally pulls my head back. I know what he is going to do, and shake my head, feeling tears run all over my face. Suddenly, he crushes his lips against mines and I bite him as hard as I can. He backs off a bit as I feel the blood in my mouth. _

_ "Don't think for a second that this little bite will stop me!" _

_And with that statement, he throws me on the bed, laying on top of me. I start screaming for help and kicking him, horrified by what is happening to me. How could he have changed from the nice Jonathan that I always knew to this monster? _

_ He takes my hands in his and hisses in my ear: "You know that no one will ever help you here, Clary. This kind of things happen every day here, your little screams are just background noise for those junkies. And as for you little punches … " He pauses to viscously chuckle. "They're actually very exciting." _

_ I spit on his face, hoping to enrage him so I can escape, but he doesn't budge. He lets go of my hands to violently grab the hem of my white dress and he places himself between my legs. I try to scratch him, aiming for his face, but he always manages to avoid my nails. _

_ And when I suddenly hear the zip of his jeans, and I lose it. I jerk my body all over the place trying to get away, cursing myself for not being stronger and only being able to cry. I feel his hand ripping my underwear and I become completely numb. _

_ He leans to me, crushing me against the bed, and pressing his lips against mines. Then he licks my face from mouth to my ear, making me shiver from disgust, and he rests his face next to mine. _

_ For a moment, I have the hope that he will stop here, but suddenly I scream from unbearable pain. He grumbles into my ears before starting to go back and forth. I keep on screaming, begging him to stop, trying my best to push him off of me, but he never listened. _

_ He never stops and never does the pain, every one of his thrusts brings a new wave of pain, and suddenly he grabs my hair, pulling it so hard I fear that he might scalp me, and he quickens his thrusts. And finally, it's over. He lays on top of me, panting in my ear while I can't stop sobbing. He pulls himself up and devilishly smiles down to me. _

_ "I loved hearing you scream my name, it was exhilarating! Soon you'll enjoy it just as much as I did." Then he gets up, and I try to leave this cursed bed, but he grabs my hand. "You can't possibly think that I'm finished with you! Tu es à moi!" (You are mine)_

I wake up with a start, screaming, and when I feel a presence next to me, I jump out of the bed, screaming even more. Like a child, I curl up against the closet, doing my best to keep my tears at bay. But it's all in vain. I hear someone getting out of the bed and walking to me, kneeling once they're in front of me.

"Clary? Clary, what's wrong?" Jace asks, hesitating to put his hands on my shoulders. He doesn't do so and just watches me shaking like a leaf in a winter breeze.

I should really try to get a hold of myself. I can see the concern in Jace's eyes, and the desperation of not being able to do anything. I hide my face in my knees, and I silently cry for what seems to last hours whilst I feel Jace loyally remaining by my side, unable to do a thing.

How is it possible that Jonathan still hurt me so much? How is it possible that the only mention of his return brings back those inhibited and painful memories? How is it possible?

Once I feel that I can't cry anymore, I wipe away the remaining tears and lift up my head. Jace doesn't say anything, he just caresses my cheek with his thumb before taking me in his arms and pecking my forehead. Then he gets up and tucks me in. He sits then next to me, watching me and slowly caressing my hair.

I knew that it is hard on him what I am imposing him, but I can't help but feel happy about him being so nice to me. I slowly drift back to dreamless sleep, under Jace's watch.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So we now know what Jon did to Clary ...**

💚** And Jace is trying to fix up the pieces left ...**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	17. Chapter 17

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy. **

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 17 (2,8K)**

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

When I wake up the next morning, the bed next to me is empty, but I can't really hold it against Jace. I mean, it's understandable if he fled after the craziness her witnessed yesterday night. With a sigh, I roll and check the time, cursing everything when I see that it's only 8:27 am. Will I ever get to sleep in during those freaking holidays? That's not a decent time to wake up when you literally have nothing to do.

But since I am awake and aware, I get up, hoping that this day will be better than yesterday. I go to the bathroom so I can do my morning routine (let's hope that Izzy won't try to doll me up today). But obviously, because my brain has decided to work against me, it didn't alarm me that the shower is running until I am in the bathroom.

I quickly leave the room, closing the door and feeling my face burn red. Let's hope Jace didn't hear me. The guy must be really tired of me. Or he must think that I'm bipolar. I mean, I cried, and then, yesterday, I almost jumped his bone when we went to bed. Before crying again. And then, I woke him up, crying again.

I shake my head, thinking to myself that this day is definitely not starting on a good note. I should have known, with that stupid memory coming back to haunt my dreams.

When I hear Jace shutting down the water, I dash back to my bed and throw the covers over my head. I am so going to pretend that I am still sleeping and that I did not try to go in the bathroom. I might even throw in a snore or two, just for good measures.

I hear the door opening, and so I squeeze my eyes shut, shrinking on myself.

"You know, you could have joined me," Jace nonchalantly says and I don't reply anything, pretending to still be sleeping.

Well, who am I kidding? Not Jace apparently, I hear him walking to the bed, and so I try to steady my breathing. _Geez, Clary, you should really grow a pair and face him_! It's not like Jace hasn't seen me in much worst state.

So I suddenly sit up, removing the covers from my head, and he looks at me, slightly amused by what he's seeing. Though I must look like a crazy person (well, crazier than usual) with my hair all over the place.

"Morning beautiful?" He says, sitting on the edge of the bed, and I roll my eyes.

"Uh. Are you referring to me?"

"Well, I don't see nobody else in this room."

"Well, you need glasses then."

He shakes his head and chuckles as I take down his clothes. He's just wearing a plain black shirt that perfectly outlines his muscles. And his perfect face is surrounded by the golden halo of his wet hair, dripping droplets of water every now and then. God, there should be a law against such perfection! I mean, how am I supposed to figure what I feel for him when Adonis is looking at me, desire gleaming in his golden eyes?

The way he is looking at me brings back the sensations that he made me feel, the feeling of his hands on me, touching me and making me feel things I've never felt. I lean closer to kiss him and when our lips touch I feel him smile against my mouth. He cups my face with his hands, bringing me closer to him and I tangle my fingers in his hair. I love touching his hair, it's like touching a smoother version of gold.

Slowly my hands reach his chest, playing with his muscles through his shirt. How can I want him so much when I know that I am scared to death by what will follow? Through my fingers, I can feel his heart quicken and his breathing becoming irregular.

Gently, his left hand leaves my head to stroll down my body. Then he breaks our kiss, to suck the skin on my collarbone, making me moan. He _has_ to know what this does to me, but apparently, he doesn't mind me moaning.

His hands flutter down to the hem of my shirt (well his shirt that I am wearing) and suddenly, he takes one of my breasts in his hand, laying me against the bed and pulling my shirt up. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from moaning again, but his mouth takes in one of my breasts and starts sucking it. I can't refrain myself from moaning again, and I arch to him, feeling things that only he can bring out of me.

Slowly I feel his hand going down my stomach and stop on my panty. I am panting like crazy when he starts fondling me through the fabric, making me gasp. I feel a wave of ... I don't know what it is, but it feels _so great_, and without no warning, he starts kissing his way down there. Slowly, he removes my underwear, making me all too aware of the fact that it isn't something sexy and lacy (I should have followed Izzy in her Victoria Secrets mania, but still I secretly thank her for insisting on removing all the hair of my body).

Deliberately, he slowly kisses me there, playing with my nerves, and when his tongue finally finds its way down in me I scream and arch myself as much as I can. He starts sucking my clitoris and I grab the pillow next to me and put it over my head to muffle the sounds that are coming out of my mouth.

His hands seem to be everywhere, passionately going up and down my legs before his left hand stops its round trip to have its fingers slowly slipping inside of me. I practically sit up at that point, for what I am feeling is just so good. New, but good.

Then his fingers start caressing my inside walls, feeling how wet I am, while his tongue is still playing with my clit. I start breathing convulsively, my hand clenched in the sheets and when his fingers start to speed up, I scream his name. God this is so good, so marvellous. What I am feeling is so ... so _something_. I can feel myself becoming frantic, arching myself, again and again, longing for more, for something unknown when ... Izzy barges in.

"Clary, wake up, we ... Oh, I didn't need to see that!"

"Izzy! _Get the Hell out of here_! And learn to knock for fuck's sake!" Jace yells at her, and I can feel the murderous vibe coming from him, even though I am hiding my face in my hands.

She closes the door, but not without saying that I'd better be in her room in less than 20 minutes. For a minute, none of us says a word or moves, too mortified by what just happened, and I hear Jace getting up. Still don't dare move one bit. Now that the embarrassment of being walked in by Izzy is gone, I feel overwhelmed by the embarrassment of what just happened. I made sounds that even I wasn't aware that I could do!

"I'm going to kill her one of these days!" Jace gritted between his teeth, and I can't help but nod of agreement. I mean, Izzy has killed the mood, one too many times.

Jace sits next to me, and I just keep my hands over my face, still feeling embarrassed. I mean, he just had his head between my legs when his sister walked in on us. still, when I feel his lips pecking mine, all of this nonsense is gone and my body takes control over me and grabs him with both my hands as I sit up to be at the same level as him.

I can feel the taste of myself on him, which surprises me a bit, but it doesn't stop me to enter his mouth. My hands are in his hair, bringing him closer to me, and I can feel that I am totally ready to keep on doing whatever we were doing. Without knowing what I am doing, I start to unbutton his trousers, and when my hand touched his bulge, Jace _moans_. God, _I_ made him moan!

He suddenly stops my hand and breaks our kiss. "You should really go, she won't hesitate to rip you away from me, and I'll have to justify the murder of my own sister."

I pout and wine, but as if to prove his point, Izzy bangs on the door, shouting that I should already be in her room. So I sigh and let myself fall back on the bed. You know, now that I think of it, a party doesn't seem so bad. Izzy would be too busy with that to annoy me like that.

"That's so unfair! If only I were a boy she would have let me alone!" I complain.

"If you were a boy, we wouldn't have done what we just did."

"No, I would have been with Alec having another kind of fun! Getting lost in his marvellous blue eyes and his strong arms!" I swoon, and Jace glares at me, clearly not appreciating the joke. In fact, I'm pretty sure I saw a glimpse of jealousy in his eyes.

I chuckle and peck his lips before leaving the bed and putting my panties back on. Of course, as I do so, he stares at me, pure lust in his eyes. I look down at him and see that his bulge is still here, so I walk to him, trying to be seductive and I passionately kiss him.

Then I run out the door to find Izzy impatiently waiting for me on the other side, tapping her foot.

"Finally! It's not like you hadn't had all night to do that!"

"We ... It's not what you think!"

"Sure."

At her tone, I can tell that she didn't believe me, but how can I blame her, after what she just walked into. She hastily throws me in her bathroom and says something about me having to rub Jace off of me!

With a sigh, I shake my head and hop in shower to quickly wash. I am in a hurry to be over with it, because, first being Izzy's living doll isn't part of my dream job, and second because I am starving.

Once cleaned, I put on what she prepared for me: a long green pullover-dress with white dots and black buttons. With that, she added black tights and long brown Native-like boots. When I leave the bathroom, she is standing by her dresser, her straightener in her hand. I do my best not to wince and sat there.

"You know Izzy, it's pretty hot in here. This outfit will kill me."

"But I want us to go shopping." She explains, and I internally bless Luke for grounding me in the Institute.

"I can't go out. I promised Luke to stay in."

"Luke?"

"A family friend. He made me promise, I can't just break my promise for shopping."

She pouts a bit, straightening my hair like a pro. In truth, I feel bad for her, I promised I'd try to be her friend, and I keep blowing her up. So I try to get the conversation on something more girly.

"So how was your video-date yesterday?"

"I don't know, it was weird. I thought that Simon was ... less ... more communicative. We exchanged four words or so!"

"Simon as in _Simon_?!"

Ooooh, he is playing a dangerous game. When he called me yesterday about Jonathan, he never mentioned anything about Izzy or having a date with her. On the contrary, he talked about that Maia girl that he met at Pandemonium.

"Yes, I thought he told you yesterday."

"No, he didn't!"

I know that as friends I should tell her, but my allegiance is going first to Simon. Plus, he is the one who put himself in this mess, I don't have to take him out of it. He was going to have to take care of this on this own, like a big boy. plus, the messenger always gets in trouble.

"Anyway, I hope that next time it'll be more talkative. We'll see each other, and though kissing is great, it can't be all there is, in a relationship, right?"

I nod and she deviously smiles at me.

"So Jace and you finally did it. I was starting to worry for my brother, it's not healthy for him to hold back so much!"

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but nothing will ever happen if you keep interrupting us!"

She makes a sorry face before making stand me up and putting a beret on my head.

"Not because you can't go out that you can't be stylish!"

I shrug, looking to what she has done to my face in the mirror, afraid not to recognise myself. But once again she had a very light hand only bringing the attention to my eyes, making them seem greener than they already were. So, I thank her, truly amazed by what pushed had done.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Once back in my room, I check my phone, hoping to see that Luke has some good news to give me, but I only have a text from Simon. "**On the parking lot. Need to talk.**" I sigh, hearing my stomach grumble but I still go to see my friend. Never I have let down Simon, today is no different. When I arrive on the parking lot, I see him leaning against my Harley. God, he should know better!

"Simon get your ass off of my bike!"

He removes himself and once I am next to him, I checked that she was alright and that he hasn't damaged my baby.

"This obsession over your bike is not healthy, you know."

"What's not healthy is you endangering your life by doing things that you know you shouldn't do! Like leaning against my bike or two-timing two girls!"

He looks taken aback, but not the slightly but ashamed.

"It's not what you think, it's just that ... It's complicated."

"I won't save you when they'll ask for your head."

"I won't ask you to do that. It's not what I came for anyway."

I roll my eyes. Simon really worries about the wrong things in life.

"We already talked about this. He's back, good for him. I'm here and I can't get out, so ..."

"Still no word from your Mom?"

"No, otherwise I wouldn't be here, would I?"

He nods dancing from one foot to another. I know Simon all too well to know that something is in his mind. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that Jordan was really concerned about you. I know he was the one who helped you and all back then, and now that he's back, you don't seem so ... affected by it. So I'm wondering who helped you move on?"

"There'll be no moving on from what happened. Just letting go of the past."

He frowns but knows that I won't talk anymore about it. And the thing is, I can't really answer him, because I'm really sure that I am ready for this step of acceptance.

With a smile, I invite him over for breakfast, assuring him that Izzy would love that, but he refuses, saying that he'd rather be damned than entered the Institute. I roll my eyes and wave him goodbye, heading back to the Institute.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Jace was waiting for me in the kitchen, saying that everyone has decided to go out for breakfast and that we should do the same. I frown, slightly annoyed. Apparently, everyone is determined to make me break my promise.

"I can't leave the Institute."

"Who talked about leaving?"

With that, he takes my hand and leads me to the rooftop, where he had prepared a breakfast picnic. I smile at him while sitting next to him.

"I never thought you were this kind of guy."

"What kind of guy? I didn't do anything, it must have been faeries or pixies."

I laugh and bite with delight in a green apple, enjoying the feeling of food in my mouth. He looks at me before wiping the apple juice trickling down in the corner my mouth.

"So why are you grounded? Izzy said you couldn't leave the Institute," He asks

"Oh, just a promise I made to Luke." He suspiciously looks at me, and in this second we both know that I'm saying everything and that I won't be saying more.

still, I see a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, which makes me feel terribly guilty. I really need to work on my social skills.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So we Izzy ... urgh. **

💚** And Simon is playing with fire ... Who do you think he will end up with?**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	18. Chapter 18

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy. **

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 18 (2,0K)**

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

During the week that followed Robert and Maryse's departure, I grew closer to Clary, giving me sometimes the impression to be a stalker. Everywhere she is, I feel the need to be there too, with her, next to her, by her side, whether she was drawing, cooking or simply doing her homework. She is always in a part of my mind whatever thing I can be doing, I have Clary somewhere in my mind, knowing where she is and what she is doing.

Sometimes, I try to reassure myself saying that it's because Robert asked me to watch over her. The fact that we both are consigned to stay in the Institute has its perks and its downs. Sure we have more time to ourselves, learning more every time about each other, but we also can't do all the things normal couples do.

I won't lie, I am so jealous of Alec because he is able to do things as simple as going to movies, restaurants, or just walk in the park hand in hand with Magnus. I have to keep Clary in the shadows of the Institute as if she is something I am ashamed of. But she never said a word about it. It's as if she doesn't mind, or doesn't care.

I'll admit that it's something that's driving me mad: sometimes I can easily read her, but most of the time, she is an indescribable book. I barely know what she thinks, or what she feels.

She's always a mystery, as much as her past. She never talks about her, whether it's her childhood, or her life as a teenager before coming to the Institute, she never broaches the subject. I know how difficult it is to talk about a dark period of your life, so I never try to push, even though I am getting more and more curious.

Even more when Luke started to show up every now and then, checking up on her and locking them in her room for indefinite amounts of time. He sometimes talks to me, more than I expected given the fact that I don't know him, which makes me feel a little awkward even though I try not to show it. After Valentine, besides the Lightwoods, an adult has never shown an interest in me simply because I was there.

And of course, It all became more awkward when Luke found us on the couch, making out. Never have I seen Clary so embarrassed (and that's saying something given the fact that Izzy has walked on us in situations more awkward and less dressed). The way he looked at me made me feel like I was judged for all that I'd done in my life, good or bad.

In this instant, I knew what she meant when she said that he was the father she never had. He looked at me warily, trying to decide if I was good enough for her. I never made aware of what he thought of it though, because Clary never said anything about it.

We keep on sleeping together in her bed, even though it's the only thing we do. I never try to push her, unable to forget the terror I saw in her eyes the night of her nightmare. I can't bring myself to talk to her about it, knowing that she is doing her best to keep it buried, but I still want to rip his head off.

The problem is I don't know what he looks like, or even what's his name. This is pissing me off beyond the bearable. How can I be with her if I can't even protect her from her past? I decide to get more information from Izzy since they spend so much time together. Surely Clary must have mentioned something to her. From a girl to another.

So when Clary lets me know that she needs to draw the city, I go to Izzy's room to confront her on the topic, and I find Alec already sitting on her bed.

"No, she never talks about her ex with me. I didn't even know she had one." Izzy tells me after I question her. well, this is a disappointment.

"But you're her friend! Surely she must have at least mentioned his name to you!"

I mean, the reason I don't spend as much time as I want with Clary, is Izzy. She keeps stealing her away for hours on end, doing who-knows-what. That, added to the fact that Clary turned out to be a really studious person. I don't know why she bothers, because she obviously doesn't struggle to do her homework, but she always goes the extra mile. I guess she is one of those who always thrive for the best grade.

"No, she didn't. You know Clary, she never talks unless you ask her real direct questions. And even then, she manages to elude them."

"Like when you ask her about her being here. Did she ever give a concrete answer?" Alec butts in the conversation, making it deeper than I wanted. I mean, I just want a name, so I can find the asshole and bitchslap the life out of him.

And now, Alec is bringing up other issues that I didn't think about. still, even though I know the explanation is clumsy, I tell them what she told me, "She promised to Luke."

"But this isn't enough. Who promises things like that? And why to Luke, why not her mother?"

"I don't know!" I snap.

Alec is actually bringing to light questions that I have been asking myself for the whole past week. And I still haven't figured them out. Clary remains a conundrum.

As Izzy can sense that I am annoyed, she brings me back to my initial questions, "All I can tell you is that there is a Jonathan somewhere in the picture and that Simon is freaking out at the idea that she might go after him for some kind of vendetta. Apparently she's unpredictable enough to do it."

"Vendetta?"

"I know nothing more. Simon didn't really say anything, I just put the pieces together."

So her ex's name is Jonathan. And she would be crazy enough to go all on her own kick his ass. That doesn't seem good at all. Sure I know she can kick ass when she wants, but that doesn't actually mean that she will once she will have to face him.

But as I think about this new piece of information, something else takes my attention off of Clary.

"Wait a minute. Since when you and Simon hang out?!"

"On, we've been out on a few dates now."

"_What_!?" Alec and I look at her, not really sure of what we just heard.

First, Simon is (in addition on being out of her league) definitely not Izzy's type. Second, Izzy never goes on 'dates', she never wants to get involved with anyone, always saying that men are all scums. Third, there is no way in Hell, my sister is going to date a junky!

"Izzy, he's bad news!" I warn her, and she immediately retorts,

"So are you, and as far as I know, Clary never judged you for your past, and trust me, she _knows_ where you come from!"

"What do you mea... That's beside the point! He's a junky!"

"That's precisely the point! Everyone deserves a second chance! I'm not judging Simon for his past, as Clary is not judging you from yours, so butt off! And for your information, Simon's been clean for a whole week."

I sigh but give up funder the glare directed at me with a death stare. The world has gone mad! How can my sister defend this lowlife junky with a rat face?

"If Dad finds out that you're dating an ex-junky, he's going to have a stroke." Alec points out, and I vigorously nod. Izzy's always been a daddy's girl, maybe this will make her reconsider.

"It's not like I'm pregnant, it's just a boy among others. He'll get over it." She says, and I feel slightly relieved. This isn't a real thing for her, and seeing how Alec reacts, he is relieved too.

"By the way, what do you mean Clary knows about my past? What did you tell her?"

"Nothing. It's just that she's not stupid. She knows you _were_ a manwhore and that you wouldn't hesitate to crush people to obtain what you thought was justice. She also knows that you're an arrogant jerk and that she can't get too attached to you."

"She told you that?" I pale. Does Clary really think so low of me?

"No, Clary doesn't say things like that, but it's obvious. The way she acts around you, it's like she's doing her best to keep her emotions to herself because she knows that in the end, you'll hurt her."

"That's not it, Izzy." Alec intervenes, his voice barely a murmur.

I look at him, waiting for him to elaborate, but he just stares at his hands, hoping that we'll go on without him. When he can't avoid it anymore, he looks at me, and just like that, I know that he knows something. He gets up from Izzy's bed and leaves through the bathroom door, but of course, I follow him, under Izzy's murderous gaze (she hates being put aside)

"You know that Magnus is a hacker, right?" Alec says when we're alone in his room.

I nod wondering how this had anything to do with Clary. The fact that Magnus is hacking for the government came to light two nights ago, taking us all aback. How can a 19 years old be already a government agent?

"Well, Magnus actually knows Clary."

"What do you mean, she doesn't seem to know him."

"She doesn't. It's just that a few months ago, Luke came to Magnus. He was enraged and asked him to track someone. Someone, he didn't know what he looked like, how old he was, what was his name. Nothing. He just knew that he was in hotel Dumort at a certain date. Magnus tried to track him down, and when he couldn't, he went on the field because it bothered him so much to fail. There he heard ... rumours... "

"What kind of rumours?" I press and Alec hesitantly looks at me. I don't like the way his eyebrows are frowning, or his eyes are studying me.

"Something about a redheaded girl that didn't belong there but often came to help a friend of hers. Something about her getting raped by 'someone'. Someone who disappeared the next day without a trace."

I lean against the wall and let myself fall on the floor, my head in my hands. Suspecting the thing is something, but knowing for a fact that it is actually real for her, is another. I feel a wave of anger boiling in me that I didn't know I could feel.

"Who is he?"

"No one knows. Magnus calls him 'the Ghost' for he is untraceable. He looked everywhere and didn't find a single thing about him. Nothing. Not a face, not a name, not an age. Nothing."

"How long have you known?"

"Since Halloween."

"And you're telling me just _now_! Geez, Alec, I thought I was your brother! What kept you from telling me!? It's not like it's something I can just overlook and pretend that never happen!"

"I only kept Clary's wishes."

"She told you!?"

"Of course not. She didn't even tell you or Izzy, so why would she tell _me_, when we don't talk so much. It's just that it should have been her choice to tell you."

Alec's gay sensitive side is starting to piss me off.

"Anyway, you already knew, you just didn't want to admit it." He states, and he is right. I have known since the first time she shrieked at my presence and me staring at her, but I didn't dare even formulate the thought of it in my mind. It was too ignoble to be true.

I get up, feeling completely beat down when Alec stops me. "Jace, don't do anything stupid."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Like confronting her on things she doesn't want to talk about or going after ghosts."

I shake my head and goes to the rooftop where I know I'll find her.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So we Izzy ... urgh. **

💚** And Simon is playing with fire ... Who do you think he will end up with?**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

**💚 Also, if you want sneak-peeks and pictures, go follow my Facebook page, Mina's Broccolis ^^****  
**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	19. Chapter 19

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy. **

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 19 (1,6K)**

**Jace's PoV**

Once I got to the rooftop, I find Clary sitting on the edge of the balustrade, her legs hanging on each side of the side-rail and her sketchpad on her knees. She was drawing the city, her hair floating in the air and her face ever so focused on what she is doing. I simply stand still, just to have the pleasure to look at her, and the sight of her overwhelmed me with a peaceful feeling.

That's when it hits me. Sure I don't know a lot of things about her, sure she has a dark past full of ghosts, sure I barely know how she feels about me, but man, I love her. I love her more than I ever loved someone. I love her so much I don't know how I even lived before her.

_I fucking love her. _

She suddenly closes her sketchpad, mumbling something about the light, and gets off the edge. When she turns and sees me, she smiles as if she is truly happy to see me. Her whole face lighting up, sparkling her green eyes. Man, how I love seeing her smile like that! It's like all her troubles are gone just by seeing me.

"Back on being a creepy stalker, I see." She laughs before pecking my lips, which actually sets me on fire.

I kiss her back, making her gasp of surprise. For the past week, I always tried to keep every kiss or embrace we had chaste, and she has been the one who always tried to get things wilder. But now, I am passionately kissing her, cupping her face in my hands, and bringing her closer to me.

When she wraps her hands around me (dropping her sketchpad on the floor), I lift her up and she folds her legs around my waist. She kisses me as ardently as I am kissing her. I start walking back, and when I bump into the door, I turn and tackle her against it. My hands fierily caress her bare thighs since she is wearing shorts and I kiss my way to her collarbone, knowing that when I'll start to suck her soft skin there, she will send me to the edge by her simple moaning.

And she does. I try to steady myself, and so I let her stand on her feet, keeping my eyes closed. Suddenly, I feel her hand unbuttoning my jeans, and I take her hand to stop her.

"Not here." She looks at me, shocked and insulted. "I want to Clary, you have no idea how much I do, but not here. Let's go downstairs."

With that, I take her in my arms, bridal style and she puts her hand on her mouth before bursting in laughter.

"You don't have to be so cliché! I'm not a princess."

"No, you're not. You're way more awesome than a stupid princess."

She chuckles and wraps her hands around my neck to kiss me. I don't know how I manage to get us to my room, but finally, she is on my bed, her legs around me. She smiles to me, biting her lower lip and turning me on like I never I thought she could.

My hand starts flickering under her sweater when she suddenly flips us around, finding herself on top of me. She takes off her sweater and smiles down to me before leaning to whisper in my ear:

"God Jace, I want you! I want you so much!"

I don't think she knows what she's doing to me just by saying those words. I get even harder than I already was, swiftly bringing her closer to me to kiss her. My hands are in her hair while hers are flying all over my chest before pulling the hem of my shirt and taking it off of me.

Then she kisses my jaw, my neck, my chest, her lips lingering every time a little longer when she kisses one of my tattoos. I have my eyes closed and I have to take very long deep breaths to steady myself, but when she starts kissing her way down my stomach, her hands unbuttoning my trousers, I take back control of the situation.

I turn her, making her gasp, and remove her shirt in the process. I look down at her in her lacy black bra and shorts. I don't know how I still manage to keep control of myself like that. She smiles at me, and I smile back to her, feeling things I never thought I would feel with a girl in my bed.

Slowly, I kiss her stomach, going a little bit lower with every kiss, and when I am at her shorts, I unbutton them with my teeth, making her suck in a breath. Once her shorts are out of the way, I leisurely get rid of her underwear, matching her bra, and slowly slide my fingers in her, feeling her wetness.

I look at her while I am fondling her, seeing how much she is enjoying it. When my thumb touches her clit, she gasps and opens her eyes in surprise, and I feel my fingers getting wetter. I kiss her, and she crushes my face to hers, deepening the kiss, and when my other hand unclasped her bra, she arches herself to me, releasing a moan that forces me to stop for a second in order to control myself.

She lets go of my hair to undo my trousers, and when her hand gets a grip on my erection, I can't help but moan myself. I feel her smile through our kiss before she starts wanking me, her hand going through all my length.

I pull myself from her and looked at her in the eyes. Man, she is so beautiful!

"Clary, are you sure?" She nods, before adding, her voice heavy with lust:

"I want to feel you! I want to feel you, right now Jace."

I bite my lips to avoid a moan to escape them and look for a condom in the nightstand. Once I get the hold on one, I go back to kissing her, more passionately than ever, and slowly, I kiss my way down to her clit.

When my lips are finally on her sweet spot, I start sucking it, feeling her get wetter. She moans before softly murmuring my name and I quickly put on the condom, still making her shiver with my tongue.

Suddenly, she grabs my hair, and I know she needed more. I lift myself up and she opens her legs for me to come in her. Slowly I enter her, making her arch and moan, and when I am completely in, I start going back and forth. She plants her nails in my back, scratching it and asking for more, which only makes me harden my thrust.

She is gasping for air when I start going down on her harder and she locks her legs around my back. I kiss her and slowly go to her collarbone, sucking her skin and making her scream my name. How I love hearing her say my name like that! That is something no one else should hear but me.

I can feel her walls tighten around me, bringing me ever closer to paroxysm. I try to slow it down, knowing that I will finish soon otherwise, but she begs me to go on, faster. So I harden and quicken my thrust, bringing us both to perfect bliss, with her fingers planted in my back and my head hidden in the hollow of her neck.

Our panted breaths are just one, and after a moment of resting on her, I roll on the side, not wanting to be too heavy on her. She seems a bit disappointed for a moment but snuggles in my arms when I open them to her.

I smile at this image: Clary in my arms, just after sex. '_God I love you, Clary!_'

She snaps her head up to look at me, incomprehension gleaming in her bright eyes. Shit, did I just said that out loud? She doesn't say anything, and I kiss her forehead unsure of what to do else. I have never been in this kind of position, me in the bed with the girl I loved.

She smiles and dozes off a bit on my chest, not saying anything on what I said (or did I?). I stay a moment like that, staring at the ceiling, doing nothing except enjoying this moment and the feeling of glee that it is procuring me.

I eventually get up to use the bathroom (and also get rid of the condom), and when I come back, she is up, next to my desk with my shirt on her, holding a picture frame in her hands. She is looking at it with a curious look on her face. I take her in my arms and look at the picture with her, my chin on her shoulder. It's the only picture I have of my father and Valentine. They were dressed in jeans and shirts, sitting on the grass and with dreams in their eyes.

"That's my father and my Godfather." She points Valentine, her voice suddenly blank.

"That's your Godfather?"

"Yes, that's Valentine."

She doesn't say anything, keeping all her emotions inside of her and after staring at the picture a little longer, she puts it back on the desk. I hug her tighter and kiss her neck, but she doesn't react to it.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I just need a shower."

I let go of her and she goes to the bathroom without looking back at me once. I sit on the bed, wondering what I have done wrong and hoping that she doesn't feel threatened by my declaration. When I hear the water flow, I just try to ease this feeling that I have that there is something awfully wrong.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So we had the Clace lemon, and the drama is starting the next chapter ... **

💚** What's up with that frame?**

💚**What's up with Clary?**

**💚 Also, if you want sneak-peeks and pictures, go follow my Facebook page, Mina's Broccolis ^^**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	20. Chapter 20

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 20 (1,9K)**

**Clary's PoV**

Oh my gosh! What just happened? What was that? That was the best feeling ever! Jace just brought me to cloud nine in an ineffable way. I can't believe my body was able to feel so many diverse and intense things all at once. And now, as I am resting on his chest, he is saying the L-word.

It's just a murmur as if he didn't plan to say it out loud, but by the tone of his voice, I can tell he means it. And here comes the problem. I mean, I want to say the words back, I _really_ do. But I'm a chicken, so I don't dare.

He kisses my hair and tells me he's going to use the loo, and so I get up and put on his shirt because I'm sappy like that. Just having his shirt on me makes his smell linger on me a bit longer.I'm cheesy, don't judge. I mean, the guy literally smells like sunshine. Who smells like leaking _sunshine_? I mean, besides angels?

I put my panties back on, and start looking around. It's the first time I am consciously in Jace's room, and it is so … simple. It's not what Simon's, or Alec's room looks like. It's so neat, and bland. Everything is the strict minimum, and at its rightful place. The only touch of personalisation is a framed picture and a signet ring on his wooden desk.

Since I'm curious to know a bit more about Jace, I go to the desk and take the picture in my hands. But as soon as I see what's in the frame, I freeze, my heartbeat suddenly gone.

It's a picture of Jonathan and Jace! Laughing together on the grass. I think I'm going to puke. I look a bit closer, unable to look away from this pictured horror. I have to say, they look a bit older like they're in their 20's. And there are some slight differences.

Jace's eyes, for instance, they're not the golden honey I'm used to. And the Jace I know is more muscular than the one in the picture, with his hair slightly less curled but longer. But the Jonathan look-alike … It's terrifying to see how much they _looked alike_. Same height, same pale-blond hair, same perfect features, same stature, same way to smile … The only difference was in the eyes. Jonathan's eyes had always been so black that I could never actually see his irises, whereas the man in the picture had deep brown eyes.

I don't need to be Sherlock to know who the men in the picture are. Jace's and Jonathan's fathers. I can feel my handshake as I realise that since Jace's and Jonathan's fathers knew each other, the chance of Jace and Jonathan knowing each other is pretty high.

I can suddenly feel Jace behind me, hugging me tight against him; but as his warmth is trying to envelop me, I only feel colder and colder.

"That's my father and my Godfather." He lets me know

His _Godfather_? This man raised Jace? This man raised the caring and sweet Jace that I know, _and_ the monster that is Jonathan?!

"That's your Godfather?" I ask for confirmation, denying a few more seconds what my instincts are telling me.

"Yes, that's Valentine."

God, what have I done? How come I didn't realise this earlier. It was so obvious, screaming all over the place with red flags. How many times did my guts tell me that Jace reminded me of Jonathan, bur I reasoned myself in saying that I was paranoid? But they have the same sarcastic ways, the same way to grin, the same abilities to do things that normal people don't. Like speaking several foreign languages, picking locks, track down people. And what Jace told me about his Godfather …. It's almost word for word what Jonathan used to say about his father.

And right now, I feel … so stupid. There I thought I was free of Jonathan, but I fell in the arms of his spiritual brother! I feel sick. I want to throw up.

I can hear Jace ask if I am okay, and I only nod, unable to look at him in the eye. I don't want to see Jonathan in his tawny eyes. I don't want to see his real face, just like I did with Jonathan.

I go to the bathroom, and once I am sure I am locked in, I turn on the shower, before hurling in the toilet. If I were to listen to the melodramatic side of me, I would just cry. But I reason myself and decide I don't have time for that. I have to get out of here as fast as possible.

So I quickly rinse my mouth and flushed the toilet before rushing to my room (and making sure that the water is still running). Once in my room, I throw on some clothes and I grab my messenger back and my helmet before getting the hell out of here, away from Jonathan 2.0

On the asking lot, I run into Alec who suspiciously looks at me as soon as he sees me. I plaster a fake smile and a happy face as he walks to me and asks,

"Didn't you say that you were supposed to stay _in_ the Institute?"

"Oh, I'm just going to the auto shop. I want to check a few things on my bike."

"Okay." Then he looks at me intensively. "Are you _okay_?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugs and goes back to the Institute, though I'm sure he's still looking at me. Which is why I decide to make sure he sees me going to the auto shop. But as soon as I'm sure he's out of sight, I hop on my bike and drive the hell away from this place.

To be fair, all I want is to see my Mom, right now. But I don't know where she is. No one knows. So after driving for what seemed forever, I stop and try to think logically of what I can do.

I can't go home, because there are too many people looking for me, and home will be the first place they will be looking for. I can't go to Luke's, because he will reap me apart for being out of the Institute. I can't go to Simon, because he's going to rat me out to Luke, like the little snitch that he is.

But as I am racking my head trying to figure out what to do, I remember that Alec's boyfriend, Magnus, has incredible abilities. So I start up my bike and go where we had the Halloween party, hoping with all my heart that he will be able to help me out.

As I get in from of Magnus's place, I take a good look at his mansion, and it feels like forever ago since I came here for a party. still, I can't help but wonder how much being a certified hacker pays him because it's in the middle of New York, and it's a freaking mansion.

Since I have no patience, and I am still panicking, I ring at the doorbell like a man until he finally opens the door. He takes a look at me, and when it seems he remembers me, he leans against frame, passing a tired hand over his glittery face,

"Why do I have the impression of déjà vu?"

"What?"

"Never mind, come on in."

I follow him inside, realising how empty his place seems without the crowd of the party. We go to the kitchen and he serves us two black coffees, two mugs covered with glitter. Then, he leaves me for a couple of minutes, and when he comes back, he sits in front of me and looked at me, studying my face as if it am missing a piece. I rub my cheeks since I cried on my way there.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asks, and I don't wait for a second,

"Can you help me find my Mom?"

He sighs heavily before looking away. "I can't. She disappeared as in _disappeared_. It's like she never even existed. Not even as your Mom. Don't you think that Luke already came to me for this?"

"You know Luke?"

"More than you could ever imagine." I raise my eyebrows and shrug, I never thought Luke was gay, and into younger men than him. But they do them. Of course, my reaction makes Magnus laugh at me,

"Not like that, it's just that we actually worked a few time together in the past... Like the day your mother came for example."

"My Mom came to you?" Well, that explains his impression of déjà vu.

"Yeah, a couple of weeks ago, just before you entered the Institute, or even heard about if. She came here, in tears and asked me to erase both of you and to procure you fake IDs and passports."

"What?!"

"But that's when Luke barged in, telling her that it wasn't smooth and that the best way to keep _you_ safe was to lock you in the Institute. She agreed to it but still asked for the fake papers. I have them if you want…"

As he says so, he slides to me a craft envelop that I take without really being aware of what I'm doing. All I can think about is that Mom wanted to uproot us. Mom, who never wanted to subscribe to an actual phone plan or a subway monthly ticket, had wanted to make us leave the country? What could have scared her like that?

Two weeks ago … that's when she told me about my father. But all she told me was that he is bad news. She didn't even tell me his name or what he looks like. Though given my lack of melanin, I can only assume that he's as milky white as I am. but I never thought that my father could be so scary that she'd want to actually leave the country and leave it all behind. Luke, Simon, our lives …

I pick at the skin under my nails, trying to quiet the nasty voice in my head. Maybe the reason why no one can find her is because she left on her own. Maybe she was too scared, and she thought that I would be safe in the Institute … Maybe I should stop depressing myself with such thoughts.

And I am torn by them as the front door slams open and Alec's voice echoes before we can even see him,

"Magnus we need your help to find ... Clary! What're you doing here?"

"Told you she would come and see me, to find her Mom."

Alec briefly looks at Magnus before going back to me. I stand up, avoiding his gaze, and I thank Magnus for the coffee and the information before I try to leave. But of course, Alec puts his hand on my shoulders.

"Clary, what happened?"

"Nothing, as Magnus said, I wanted to know if he could help to look for my Mom... By the way, you didn't talk about it to anyone." I ask. I don't want people to know all about my life.

"No. But what happened? Everyone is looking for you back there. Luke is freaking out!"

"He's going to kill me! I better head back." I say, and he hesitates for a moment, looking at Magnus before walking with me.

"I'll go with you."

"And how will you do that? I'm on my bike and I have only one helmet. No helmet, no passenger! And actually, I'm not even sure that I could drive the two us, me being so small and all." I lie, but it seems to convince him.

"I'll drive behind you."

I nod, knowing that there was no way in Hell I am going back to the Institute. I hop on my back and pretend to wait for him. But once we're on the road, I lose him in the traffic and rush at my place.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So ... I can't wait for the next chapter, haha. Just to make one thing clear, Clary doesn't know what Valentine looks like, and that her father's name is Valentine, all she knows is that he is bad news, according to her Mom and Luke ...**

💚** What's up with that frame?**

💚**What's up with Jocelyn wanting to leave the country? And what about Clary's reaction in general?**

**💚 Also, if you want sneak-peeks and pictures, go follow my Facebook page, Mina's Broccolis ^^**

💚‼️💚** I was enjoying my family visiting me, but here I am making it up for you. So, here are the updates of the month **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (COMPLETE)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 14)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 20)**

**\- Forbidden Fruit, FSOG version (chap 20)**

**\- The Mobster's Wife, TMI version (chap 20)**

**\- Tainted Love, TMI story (chap 13)**

**\- The Consequences of a One-Nightstand, TMI story (chap 6)**

**\- A Flicker of Hope, Twilight story (Epilogue)**

**\- How Much?, FSOG story (chap 1)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 17)**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	21. Chapter 21

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** Enjoy**

💚 **Second Chances **💚

**Chapter 21 (1,4K)**

**Clary's PoV**

I still don't know what to do. As expected, home was empty, but there is no way in hell I am going back to the Institute. I just … if Jace and Johnathan were raised by the same man, they're more than likely having the same trail of thoughts, and no matter what, I'm not risking it. I mean, so many times I saw little things in Jace that made me think of Johnathan, but I dismissed them. I should stop questioning my guts and just follow it from now on.

It just feels like … I have given what was left of my heart to another monster. A true one at that. A more vicious one who made me believe in myself first. It did seem odd to me that Jace knew what Jonathan did to me, without me saying a word about it. But now I know that he had the details first hand. Which I think is even more demoniac.

I mean, he knew about my past, and made me trust in him, made me believe that he was good, sweet, nice. All lies. _Bullshit_! How could I have been so stupid? Why, oh why did I open my heart to him so easily, so he could stab it mercilessly?

I take a deep breath and quickly put some clothes in a bag before going to the secret hideout, praying that the emergency cash is still there. I see that the amount of dollar bills is still there, and I take the time to open the envelope Magnus gave. I find in there two fake IDs, saying that Mom and I are Irish that our names are Lynn and Clare Fair.

I don't know why, but this gives me a shiver. I really don't know much about my Mom after all. I know nothing of her past life. She never talks about it, but I never asked either. Silly me! I never asked about her childhood, her parents. All I know is that she once said they are dead. But that's pretty much it. And now, she is missing, and I have no clue where to start looking for her.

I shake my head and get ready to leave when my eyes fall on a picture of Mom. It's the picture where she is obviously pregnant with me, leaning against a tree and caressing her tummy with love like Moms-to-be like to do. She's harbouring a blazing smile on her face, glowing with love. So I take the picture with me and leave, without sparing a glance back.

I head toward Central Station, still unsure of what to do. I mean, I could go to Luke, but he still hasn't found her, has he? And the only person I think can actually help me is Jordan, but I don't know where he lives, and I left my phone back a the Institute.

I look at the sky, hoping to have a revelation of some kind, but I only feel overwhelmed by an idea that has nothing to do with my Mom. It's just … an _urge_ that I desperately need to fulfil. So I put my bike into gear, and drive to the one place I know I will get what I want, even though it does do something to my heart to go there without … _Jace_.

I enter the shop unceremoniously, and Hodge is there on his own. Hodge is … kind of odd, if you ask me. I mean, if you meet him in the streets, you'd never guess that he's a tattoo artist. You'd think he's a librarian or some shit like that. I mean the man is wearing a neat grey tweed suit. He screams more Pr Moriarty than tattoo artist, but who am I to judge? He also has a long thick scar on the side of his face, but it makes him more pitiful than scary, in my eyes.

When he recognises me, his eyes open wide with surprise, "What do you want sweetheart?"

"A tattoo."

"Again? You got infected by the tattoo addiction?" He mocks, and I just shrug

"You could say that."

I don't want to get into the state of my emotions and mind right now. He nods and makes me sit on the chair, asking me what kind of design I want. I tell him that I want it on the bone behind my ear, and he leaves for a moment as I quickly draw something on the paper, a sort of eye with one line going through the inner corner and another crossing its way

It's something I drew the day that followed my nightmare with Jonathan and all it inspires me is … being fearless. It's like drawing this puts all my fears aside, and that's exactly what I need right now. To be fearless.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

"I always knew that you would get tattooed one day or another."

I freeze on the spot, recognising this voice amongst a thousand. This _awfully_ familiar voice. I have just left Hodge's shop, and I was about to hop back to my bike. Slowly, I turn, putting my keys so all the pointy ends would stick out of my fist and there is he.

Standing, just five feet away from me and leaning against some red sports car. His hair has grown a few inches since the last time I saw, and his face seems … less demented than then. But I'm not stupid.

"_What the fuck do you want_?" I hiss.

"Language Clary. 'Fuck' is not a pretty word for your mouth!"

"What the _fuck_ do you want?" I repeat, not caring the least in the world about his lessons on manners.

"To talk."

Is he being serious? Does he really think that we can _talk_? Last time he 'talked' to me, I ended up on a bed, with him on top of me! And yet, I can't help but notice that he does seem different. It looks like he's no longer animated by this mad fire that was burning in his eyes. He even seems … in anguish? But still …

"I don't want to talk with _you_! I don't want to even see you or breathe in the same area as you!"

"I understand, and I'm sorry. I _truly_ am sorry for what I have done, and you might never forgive me for that, but we actually _have_ to talk."

"Fuck you ..."

"Clary, this word is not for you. And I _am_ really sorry. I shouldn't have done that, and leave you there. That wasn't me. I changed. I go by Christopher now." He says as if this absolves him of anything.

"I don't care. Jonathan or Christopher, you're still the same person who ..." I choke on the word. I just can't. I still can't say the word out loud. Just thinking about it makes me sick and want to cry, so saying it …

But he finishes my sentence for me, clearly tortured as he says it, "… The person who raped you. I know. As I said I'm not looking for absolution."

I don't say anything, holding my tears back. I'm just ... so angry at myself for being able to shut him up, or just kick his ass. But I am also scared of the game he is trying to play. Pretending to be nice and t redeem himself, just to stab me later in the back. I already had that with Jace.

"How did you ... get back home?" He asks, and I just ignore him.

There is no way in Hell I will talk to him anymore. And I will certainly not tell him how I managed to survive after what he has done to me. I don't want him to know _anything_ about my life after him. He doesn't have to know that it was Jordan who came looking for me seeing that I wasn't home nor answering my phone and that he found me curled up on myself, crying the life out of me. He had looked at me for at least 10 minutes, not sure of what to do before he knelt to my level and told me he was about to take me in his arms to bring me to Simon's: he didn't want my Mom to see me like that.

I shake my head to get rid of these memories and look back at Jonathan/Christopher, whatever his name is at the moment.

"You wanted to apologize, I heard you. Now leave me alone and go, I have better things to do." I say because I am certainly not going to turn my back to him so he can follow me.

"I know." He calmly says.

"What do you mean 'you know'?

"Maybe you should come with me."

"Like Hell, I'll follow you anywhere!"

"Language, Clary. You'll have to follow me. I know where is your Mom."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** Hihi, Jonathan is finally an actual physical character … what do you think? **

💚** and he knows where Clary's Mom is … interesting … **

💚** And clary has a second tattoo now. And a picture in her bag, with the cash and fake IDs**

💚**Well, let me know what you think. What was your favourite part? What do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


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